Les Alm’s Service-Learning Reflection Questions
POLS 320 AMERICAN POLICY PROCESS Fall 2002

Based on your experience with your Service-Learning (SL) unit, speak to the power of
ORGANIZATIONS to make a difference in American public policy formation. In
making your case, use the stages of the policy process (as listed in Figure 9.3, page
222 of the Birkland text). In other words, discuss not only how ORGANIZAITONS
can make a difference in the policy process, but at what stage of the policy process
they can make the most difference.

EE. Shattschneider argues that all forms of political organization have a bias in favor
of the exploitation of some kinds of conflict and the suppression of others. Based on
your experience with your SL unit speak to the importance of good public relations
efforts to the success of the mission of the agency. In other words, why is it important
for public agencies to tell people about the important things they are doing for society
as a whole? In your opinion, what is the most effective way for public organizations
(such as your SL unit) to make their case to the public?

Deborah Stone argues that political reasoning is different because it is part of a contest
over policy. How do you see this CONTEST (with clear winners and losers) being
played out with respect to the policies of your SL unit? Who are the WINNERS? Who
are the LOSERS? If you were suddenly in charge of your SL agency, what would you
do to ease the gap between winners and losers?

Theodore Lowi claims that the TYPE of policy determines the way policymaking
plays out in the United States. Using Lowi's typology (as listed in Table 6.1, pages
136-137 of the Birkland text) describe the type of policy under which your SL unit
falls. Further, describe how you would change the way business is currently carried out
in your agency so that both your clientele and the public would be better served.

James Q. Wilson argues that the type of politics that define a public agency’s
policymaking structure is defined along a cost-benefit dichotomy (as listed in Table
6.2, page 143 of the Birkland text). Using Wilson’s scheme, describe the type of
politics being played out in your Service-Learning agency (interest group politics,
entrepreneurial politics, clientele politics, or majoritarian politics). Explain how you
know this is so. If you suddenly became the dictator of your agency, what would you
do to lessen the costs and increase the benefits of your particular clientele?

Birkland (in Chapter 8 of his text) delineates TOP-DOWN and BOTTOM-UP
approaches to public policy formulation. Using your Service-Learning agency as an
example, describe how characteristics of both of these approaches can be found in all
public agencies. In your opinion, where should the most amount of discretion be
allowed in American public policy making, at the top or bottom of the agency. Explain
why you believe this is so.

As discussed throughout the semester, it is very difficult to delineate costs and benefits
in any public sector agency. Using your Service-Learning agency as an example, talk
about the difficulty of measuring costs and benefits as it applies to the Mission
Statement of your Service-Learning Unit. Further, speak to which of these (COSTS or
BENEFITS) is more difficult to measure and how this influences the policy decisions
made in your Service-Learning agency.