Explaining Public Policies
| Module title | Explaining Public Policies |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL2102 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Claire Dunlop (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 120 |
|---|
Module description
In this module you will explore key policy research theories in depth. You will be provided with a range of conceptual approaches that explore themes including: the role of stories in policy-making; the sources of radical policy change; the impact of policies on people and their self-identity. We explore these themes using case studies from contemporary policy-making for example, LGBT policy change, gun control and capital punishment. The module provides the opportunity to think critically about the everyday issues faced by policymakers in the UK and globally and is highly recommended to any students interested in public policy and wish to continue this pathway at Level 3.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module helps you understand and explain why policies take the forms they do. After the introductory lecture, the module is taught in four 2-week cycles; a theoretical framework will be introduced in the first week and then applied to an empirical setting in the second week through research-led teaching. The tutorials will mirror these lectures. In addition to encouraging students to think like policymakers, the module will provide links to employability and future career pathways such as the Civil Service, political communication, lobbying, think tanks and policy advisor roles.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate understanding of the nature and evolution of core concepts regarding public policy;
- 2. analyse policy problems through key conceptual lenses.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. critically assess the utilities of different public policy-oriented theories and methods deployed in policy analysis;
- 4. apply key theoretical ideas to concrete, empirical examples.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. communicate ideas effectively both formally through position papers and essays, and informally during class discussions;
- 6. communicate ideas in a highly effective fashion in a given number of words in written form;
- 7. work independently to a very high level.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- How Do We Explain Policies? What Gives a Theory its Power? How Do Policy Theories Matter for Policymakers?
- Multiple Streams Approach (MSA) and the Role of Luck, Chance and Contingency
- Multiple Streams Approach (MSA) Case Studies – Tobacco Control and Alcohol Pricing
- Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) and Why Attention Matters
- Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) Case Studies – Civil Nuclear Power and Capital Punishment
- Assessment Workshop – Writing Position Papers and Policy Essays
- Social Construction of Target Populations (SCTP) – How Policy Decisions Construct Citizens and Democracies
- Social Construction of Target Populations (SCTP) Case Studies – LGBT Citizens in the UK and US ‘Welfare Queens’
- Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) and the Persistent of Stories and Myths in Policy
- Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) Case Studies – Arab Spring, Climate Change and US Gun Control
N.B. Please note these case studies are indicative, some weeks we may branch out to further empirical examples.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27.5 | 122.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 11 | 11 x 1 hour tutorial. Tutorials are based on lecture topics |
| Guided Independent Study | 82.5 | Preparation and writing of essay and position paper |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Reading for tutorials |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 250 words | 1-7 | Verbal, one-to-one |
| Position paper | 100 words | 1-7 | Verbal, one-to-one |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 60 | 2,000 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Position paper | 40 | 800 words | 1-7 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
| Position paper | Position paper (800 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval).
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Cairney, P.A. (2020) Understanding Public Policy 2nd edn Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Dunlop, C.A., Radaelli, C.M. and Trein, J.P. (2018) (eds) Learning in Public Policy: Analysis, Modes and Outcomes, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
George, A.L. and Bennett, A. (2004) Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences London: MIT Press.
Jenkins-Smith, H.C. (1990) Democratic Politics and Policy Analysis Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Jones, B.D. and Baumgartner, F.R. (2005) The Politics of Attention, Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Jones, M.D., McBeth, M.K. and Shanahan, E.A. (2014) (eds) The Science of Stories: Applications of the Narrative Policy Framework in Public Policy Analysis Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Kingdon, J.D. (1984) Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies, Boston, MA: Little & Brown.
Lindblom, C.E. (1965) The Intelligence of Democracy New York, NY: The Free Press.
Parsons, W. (1995) Public Policy: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Pierson, P. (2004) Politics in Time Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Schattschneider, E.E. (1960) The Semi-Sovereign People New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Schneider, A. L. and Ingram, H.M. (1997) Policy Design for Democracy Lawrence, KA: University Press of Kansas
Weible, C.M. and Cairney, P.C. (2021) Practical Insights from Policy Theories Bristol: Policy Press.
Weible, C.M. and Sabatier, P.A. (eds) (2023) Theories of the Policy Process, 5th edn Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Weible, C.M. and Workman, S. (eds) (2022) Methods of the Policy Process, 1st edn London: Routledge.
Yanow, D. (1996) How Does a Policy Mean? Georgetown University Press.
Zahariadis, N. (2016) Handbook of Public Policy Agenda Setting, 1st edn Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Journals: Comparative Politics ; Environmental Politics ; Environmental Values ; European Journal of Public Policy ;Governance ; Health, Risk and Society ; Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management ; Journal of European Public Policy ;Journal of Policy Analysis and Management ; Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory (J-PART) ; Journal of Public Policy ; Policy & Politics ; Policy Sciences ; Policy Studies; Policy Studies Journal ; Public Administration ; Public Administration Review ; Public Policy and Administration ; Review of Policy Research ; Risk Analysis ; Risk and Regulation ;Risk, Decision and Policy ; Science and Public Policy
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – vle.exeter.ac.uk/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 23/01/2018 |
| Last revision date | 02/02/2023 |
