Public Policy Courses Available – FALL 2013
PBPL 42: Ethics and Public Policy
Professor Lucas Swaine (10)
This course examines the nature and validity of arguments about vexing moral issues in public policy. Students examine a number of basic moral controversies in public life, focusing on different frameworks for thinking about justice and the ends of politics. The primary aim of the course is to provide each student with an opportunity to develop his/her ability to think in sophisticated ways about morally difficult policy issues. Among the questions students address will be the following: Are policies that permit torture justifiable under any circumstances? Do people have basic moral claims to unequal economic holdings and rewards, or should economic distribution be patterned for the sake of social justice? Should people be permitted to move freely between countries? Is abortion wrong in theory or in practice, and in what ways should it be restricted? Dist: SOC; WCult: W.
PBPL 45: Introduction to Public Policy Research
Professor Ronald Shaiko (10A)
This course focuses on strategies for, and actual practice of, conducting research relevant to public policy decision-making. Students will be exposed to a variety of research methodologies used in public policy analysis. This course is designed to be a core element of the Public Policy Minor and will also serve as a training ground for prospective applicants wishing to serve in the Rockefeller Center Public Policy Research Shop during subsequent terms. Prerequisite: A course employing mathematical reasoning or statistical methods (e.g., Economics 10 or Government 10). Dist: SOC; WCult: W.
PBPL 52/GOVT 30.01: Leadership in Political Institutions
Professor Linda Fowler (2A)
This course explores how political leaders in the U.S. reconcile the constraints of public office with the opportunities to make major changes in society. Drawing from diverse materials on the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, the course addresses the following questions: How does leadership differ in the public and private spheres? What personal skills and attributes affect the success or failure of leaders of political institutions? What criteria do/should citizens apply to public leaders? How do political context and historical contingency shape institutional leadership?