Class Time: Wednesday 12:30-14:20 (AQ 4120)
Tutorials: Wednesday 14:30-15:20 (AQ 5051); 15:30-16:20 (AQ 5038)
Dr. Michael Howlett
AQ 6082 291-3082
OFFICE HOURS: Tues. 10:30-11:30
NOTE: This outline is also available through the Class WWW Site at URL:
http://www.sfu.ca/~howlett/359973.html
Outline:
This course introduces the student to the study of public policy-making in
liberal democratic states. After having discussed the major economic and
political science approaches to studying public policy, the course utilizes a
five-stage model of the policy process to conceptualize its operation. The
fundamental actors involved in public policy-making, the institutions within
which those actors operate, and the instruments used in fashioning solutions
to public problems are inventoried, and the links between actors, institutions
and instruments in the development and evolution of public policies discussed.
While the framework presented can be applied to any liberal democratic state,
illustrations from Canadian circumstances will be stressed in the course.
Required Texts
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996)
Robert Campbell and Leslie Pal, The Real Worlds of Canadian Politics
(Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1994)
Recommended Texts
Michael M. Atkinson ed. Governing Canada: Institutions and Public
Policy (Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1993)
W.R. Coleman and G. Skogstad ed., Policy Communities and Public Policy
in Canada: A Structural Approach (Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1991)
Requirements and Marking:
1. There will be a final examination worth 40 percent of the course
mark.
2. One 15-20 page paper is due at the end of term and is worth 40 percent
of the class mark. Papers should be typed, double-spaced and properly
formatted. Papers are due on the last day of class. LATE PAPERS WILL
LOSE TEN PERCENT PER DAY LATE.
3. A 3-5 page outline of the paper is due (posted to the Class Caucus
at http://caucus.sfu.ca/caucus/pol359/
in Week VII. The outline should set out the general argument to be made
in the paper, the methodology to be followed, and include appropriate
traditional and non-traditional (WWW) bibliographic references. The
outline will be returned in Week VIII and will account for 10 percent of
the course mark. LATE OUTLINES WILL RECEIVE A ZERO GRADE.
4. Ten percent of the course mark will be awarded on the basis of class
participation. This includes the presentation to the class newsgroup by
5:00 pm Monday of written questions on the topic discussed in that week
of class. These questions will form the basis for review discussion at the
beginning of each tutorial. Weekly topics will be assigned in Week I.
LATE QUESTIONS WILL RECEIVE A ZERO GRADE.
Paper Topics:
Choose one of the stages of the policy cycle discussed in class. Set out the
elements of policy theory relating to that stage of the policy process and
utilizing evidence from a Canadian case, discuss why the theory does or
does not apply in this case.
WEEKLY READING LIST
NOTE: All required class readings have been placed on reserve at Bennett Library
WEEK I: INTRODUCTION
Required Reading:
Torgerson, Douglas. "Between Knowledge and Politics: Three Faces Of
Policy Analysis." Policy Sciences 19(1986): 33-59.
Garson, G. David. "From Policy Science to Policy Analysis: A Quarter
Century of Progress." In Policy Analysis: Perspectives, Concepts, and
Methods, edited by W. N. Dunn. Greenwich, Conn.: JAI Press, 1986. 3-22.
Recommended Reading:
Lawrence M. Mead, "Policy Studies and Political Science" in Policy
Studies Review, 5(2) 1985 pp. 319-335
Sabatier, Paul A. "Toward Better Theories of the Policy Process." PS:
Political Science and Politics. 24, no. 2 (1991): 144-156.
WEEK II: THE POLICY SCIENCES: ORIGINS AND METHODS
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
1
Lasswell, Harold D. "The Policy Orientation." In The Policy Sciences,
edited by D. Lerner and H. D. Lasswell. Stanford: Stanford University
Press, 1951. 3-15.
Recommended Reading:
Lasswell, Harold D. The Decision Process: Seven Categories of Functional
Analysis. College Park: University of Maryland, 1956. 1-23
Brewer, Garry D. "The Policy Sciences Emerge: To Nurture and Structure
a Discipline." Policy Sciences 5(1974): 329-244.
WEEK III: POLICY THEORY I - DEDUCTIVE APPROACHES
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
2 pp. 18-27
Frans A.A.M. Van Winden, "The Economic Theory of Political Decision-
Making." In Public Choice, edited by J. van den Broeck. Dordrecht:
Kluwer, 1988.
Recommended Reading:
Mancur Olson, The Logic of Collective Action Cambridge: Harvard
University Press, 1971 Chapter 1
Boris Frankel, "On the State of the State: Marxist Theories of the State
After Leninism" in A. Giddens and D. Held, eds., Classes, Power and
Conflict Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982 pp. 257-273
March, James G. and Johan P. Olsen. "The New Institutionalism:
Organizational Factors in Political Life." American Political Science
Review. 78, no. 3 (1984): 734-749.
WEEK IV: POLICY THEORY II - INDUCTIVE APPROACHES
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
2. pp. 28-48
Smith, Martin J. "Pluralism, Reformed Pluralism and Neopluralism: The
Role of Pressure Groups in Policy-Making." Political Studies. 38:
June(1990): 302-22.
Recommended Reading:
Stokey, Edith and Richard Zeckhauser. A Primer for Policy Analysis.
New York: W.W. Norton, 1978, Chapters 14 and 15
Phillipe Schmitter, "Modes of Interest Intermediation and Models of
Societal Change in Western Europe" in Comparative Political Studies, 10
(1) 1977 pp. 501-536
Skocpol, Theda. "Bringing the State Back In: Strategies of Analysis in
Current Research." In Bringing the State Back In, edited by P. B. Evans,
D. Rueschemeyer and T. Skocpol. New York: Cambridge University Press,
1985. 3-43.
WEEK V: POLICY ACTORS AND INSTITUTIONS
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
3.
Wright, Maurice. "Policy Community, Policy Network and Comparative
Industrial Policies." Political Studies. 36, no. 4 (1988): 593-612.
Recommended Reading:
Atkinson, M. and W. Coleman. "Strong States and Weak States: Sectoral
Policy Networks in Advanced Capitalist Economies." British Journal of
Political Science. 19, no. 1 (1989): 47-67.
Haas, Peter M. "Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International
Policy Coordination." International Organization. 46, no. 1 (1992): 1-36.
WEEK VI: POLICY INSTRUMENTS
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
4.
Recommended Reading:
Salamon, Lester M. and Michael S. Lund. "The Tools Approach: Basic
Analytics." In Beyond Privatization: The Tools of Government Action,
edited by L. S. Salamon. Washington D.C: Urban Institute, 1989.
Woodside, K. "Policy Instruments and the Study of Public Policy."
Canadian Journal of Political Science. 19, no. 4 (1986): 775-793.
Hood, Christopher. "Using Bureaucracy Sparingly." Public
Administration. 61, no. 2 (1983): 197-208.
WEEK VII: THE POLICY CYCLE I - AGENDA SETTING
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
5.
Recommended Reading:
Stone, Deborah A. "Causal Stories and the Formation of Policy Agendas."
Political Science Quarterly. 104, no. 2 (1989): 281-300.
Kingdon, John W. Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies. Boston:
Little, Brown and Company, 1984. 173-204
Cobb, R., J.K. Ross, and M.H. Ross. "Agenda-Building as a Comparative
Political Process." American Political Science Review 70, no. 1 (1976):
126-138.
** OUTLINES DUE
WEEK VIII: THE POLICY CYCLE (II): POLICY FORMULATION
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
6.
Recommended Reading:
Heclo, Hugh. "Issue Networks and the Executive Establishment." In The
New American Political System, edited by A. King. Washington D.C.:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1978. 87-124.
Heinz, John P. et al. "Inner Circles or Hollow Cores." Journal of Politics.
52, no. 2 (1990): 356-390.
WEEK IX: THE POLICY CYCLE (III): DECISION-MAKING
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
7.
Recommended Reading:
Lindblom, Charles. "The Science of Muddling Through." Public
Administration Review 19, no. 2 (1959): 79-88 and Lindblom, Charles.
"Still Muddling, Not Yet Through." Public Administration Review
39(1979): 517-529.
Smith, Gilbert and David May. "The Artificial Debate Between Rationalist
and Incrementalist Models of Decision-Making." Policy and Politics
8(1980): 147-161.
Cohen, M., J. March, and J. Olsen. "A Garbage Can Model of
Organizational Choice." Administrative Science Quarterly 17(1972): 1-25.
WEEK X: THE POLICY CYCLE (IV): POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
8.
Recommended Reading:
Linder, Stephen H. and B. Guy Peters. "Instruments of Government:
Perceptions and Contexts"." Journal of Public Policy. 9, no. 1 (1989): 35-
58.
Howlett, Michael. "Policy Instruments, Policy Styles, and Policy
Implementation: National Approaches to Theories of Instrument
Choice." Policy Studies Journal. 19, no. 2 (1991): 1-21.
Schneider, Anne L. and Helen Ingram. "Policy Design: Elements,
Premises, and Strategies." In Policy Theory and Policy Evaluation:
Concepts, Knowledge, Causes, and Norms, edited by S. S. Nagel. New
York: Greenwood Press, 1990. 77-101.
WEEK XI: THE POLICY CYCLE (V): POLICY EVALUATION AND POLICY LEARNING
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
9.
Bennett, Colin and Michael Howlett. "The Lessons of Learning:
Reconciling Theories of Policy Learning and Policy Change." Policy
Sciences 25:3 (1992): 275-94.
Recommended Reading:
Cohen, Wesley M. and Daniel A. Levinthal. "Absorptive Capacity: A New
Perspective on Learning and Innovation." Administrative Science
Quarterly. 35(1990): 128-152.
Weiss, Carol. "Research for Policy's Sake: The Enlightenment Function
of Social Research." Policy Analysis. 3(1977): 531-545.
deLeon, Peter. "Policy Evaluation and Program Termination." Policy
Studies Review 2, no. 4 (1983): 631-647.
WEEK XII: POLICY PARADIGMS AND POLICY CHANGE
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
10.
Richardson, Jeremy, Gunnel Gustafsson, and Grant Jordan. "The Concept
of Policy Style." In Policy Styles in Western Europe, edited by J. J.
Richardson. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1982. 1-16.
Recommended Reading:
Hall, Peter A. "Policy Paradigms, Social Learning and the State: The Case
of Economic Policy-Making in Britain." Comparative Politics 25:3(1993):
275-96.
Baumgartner, Frank R. and Bryan D. Jones. "Agenda Dynamics and
Policy Subsystems." Journal of Politics. 53, no. 4 (1991): 1044-1074.
Sabatier, Paul A. "An Advocacy Coalition Framework of Policy Change
and the Role of Policy-Oriented Learning Therein." Policy Sciences. 21,
no. 2/3 (1988): 129-168.
WEEK XIII: CONCLUSION
Required Reading:
Michael Howlett and M. Ramesh, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles
and Policy Subsystems (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1995) Chapter
11
Atkinson, Michael M. and William D. Coleman. "Policy Networks, Policy
Communities and the Problems of Governance." Governance 5, no. 2
(1992): 154-180.
Recommended Reading:
Jennings, Bruce. "Interpretation and the Practice of Policy Analysis."
In Confronting Values in Policy Analysis: The Politics of Criteria, edited
by F. Fischer and J. Forester. Newbury Park: Sage, 1987. 128-152.
Dunn, William N. "Methods of the Second Type: Coping with the
Wilderness of Conventional Policy Analysis." Policy Studies Review. 7,
no. 4 (1988): 720-737.
Cook, Thomas D. "Postpositivist Critical Multiplism." In Social Science
and Social Policy, edited by R. L. Shotland and M. M. Mark. Beverly Hills:
Sage, 1985. 21-62.
** PAPERS DUE