WEB
Page: http://web.mit.edu/17.303j/www/
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UG(2)
Credit: 3-0-9
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Spring
2002
Seminar:
Monday: 12:00-2:00pm
Wednesday: 12:00 -
1:00pm
Bldg. & Room:
3-401B
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Professor Stephen
M. Meyer
Department of Political Science
E53-402
Phone: 253-8078
Email:
smmeyer@mit.edu
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Professor
Martin Rein
Department of Urban Studies
and
Planning
9-415
Phone: 253-2047
Email:
mrein@mit.edu
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Methods of Policy Analysis
11.003j/17.303j
introduces methods of policy analysis. We focus on three targets for analysis.
First, we examine prescriptive methods. That is methods for
weighing the "costs and benefits" of alternative courses of
policy action. Which policy "option" represents the best
-- most effective, most efficient, most equitable, etc. -- choice for
government action. Second, we look
at methods for evaluating policy and program performance post-
implementation. How do we know when a policy or program is
working? We consider both process evaluations (is the implementing
agency actually carrying out its assigned tasks?) and outcome/impact
evaluations (is the policy/program actually having the expected
effect?). Third, we consider
methods for assessing policy outcomes -- that is, broad social impact. Our
toolkit of methods includes both quantitative and qualitative models and
techniques.
Readings:
The three course texts, which can be purchased
at the MIT COOP are:
|
Michael Munger (2000) Analyzing Policy (New
York: W.W. Norton & Co.) |
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Beryl
Radin (2000) Beyond Machiavelli: Policy Analysis Comes of Age
(Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press). |
|
Carol Weiss (1998) Evaluation
(New Jersey: Prentice-Hall) |
The remainder of the readings for this
course can be found in the
| CLASS NOTES PACKAGE |
available for purchase at
the MIT Graphic Arts Copy Center [basement of E52].
| Students are also required to read the
daily press. Students may choose from among: The Boston Globe, The
New York Times, or the Wall Street Journal.
|
Each week’s reading assignments
should be completed prior to lecture class for that week.
Requirements & Grading
Grades will be determined by student
performance on all of the following:
Class
participation: Students are required to attend class. Missing more
that two classes without prior permission will result in automatic failure of the course
regardless of other grades. Quizzes may be given at the discretion
of the instructors.
Both lecture and recitation section will
involved extensive student oral participation, commenting, questioning,
and probing arguments and ideas. Students will be required to
prepare several oral presentations in recitation. |
30% |
Policy Analysis Project:
Students will conduct an extended policy analysis project --
four papers -- throughout the length of the term. The project will involve
four activities: a "news" review, an analytic (academic,
economic, legal, literature review, an alternatives analysis, and field
work (identifying & dissecting two contending policy
approaches).
Each
activity will culminate in a five to seven page paper.
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70% |
This class will be conducted as a combination
seminar and tutorial.
To summarize, students are required to:
1. attend each weekly seminar and tutorial session;
2. complete weekly required reading
assignments prior to class;
3. read a major newspaper daily (the
Boston Globe, New York Times, or Wall Street Journal
are acceptable);
WARNING: Students who miss more than one seminar without prior approval or an
accepted medical excuse will receive a failing grade for the class.
There will be no exceptions.
Seminar Schedule
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Part
I: What is Policy Analysis?
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Feb. 6: |
Introduction
to Course
We begin with a simple exercise using the daily
news. How does policy analysis appear in the press? What do
you recognize as policy analysis?
Assignment for Class:
-
Read thoroughly the Monday (Feb 4) and Tuesday (Feb 5) Boston Globe.
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Bring copies of those editions of the newspaper to class.
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Be prepared to discuss the following:
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What
evidence of policy analysis do you find in
the various articles? |
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Which
are most persuasive? Why? What tools
do they use? |
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Which
are least persuasive? Why? What tools
do they use? |
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Feb.
11 & 13:
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What
does it Mean to "Analyze" Policy? How
does policy analysis differ from social science? Is there a
difference? Is it one of methodology, purpose, or use?
We examine an example of a policy study. What does the
paper try to do? What about it is analytic? What are its
strong points? What are its weak points? Does it answer the
questions it raises? Did it answer the right questions?
Required Reading:
| **Mark
Moore (1983) "Social Science and Policy Analysis," in Daniel
Callahan and Bruce Jennings eds. Ethics, the Social Sciences, and
Policy Analysis. (New York: Plenum), chapter 11, pp. 271-291. |
| **James
Wilson, (1975) "Criminologist," (New York: Basic
Books) chapter 3, 43-63. |
| Case 1: Rebecca Blank and
David T. Ellwood (2001)
The Clinton Legacy for America's
Poor.
(National Bureau of Economic Research: Working Paper #8437).
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Recommended Reading
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Daniel
Callahan and Bruce Jennings eds. Ethics, the Social Sciences, and
Policy Analysis. (New York: Plenum). |
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George
McCall and George Weber (1984) Social Science and Public Policy:
The Roles of Academic Disciplines in Policy Analysis. (New York:
Associated Faculty Press). |
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Feb.
19 & 20:
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The Origins & Evolution of the
Policy Analysis Field
How did the field of policy analysis come
to be and how has it evolved? What were the expectations for the
field and have those expectations been realized? Who does policy
analysis and why?
Required Reading:
| Radin (2000) Beyond
Machiavelli, pp. 1-186. |
Recommended Reading
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Feb.
25 & 28:
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Models of
Public Policy Decision-Making
Required Reading:
|
Munger (2000), chapters 1-6
(pp. 3-199). |
Recommended Reading
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Part
II: Choosing Among Policy Alternatives |
March
4:: |
PAPER #1
DUE |
March
4 & 7:
Study Questions
|
Welfare
Economics Paradigm
Required Reading:
| Munger (2000), chapters
7-8 (pp. 200-279) |
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Case 2: |
Recommended Reading
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March
11 & 13:
Study Questions
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Probability
& Time In Policy Analysis
Required Reading:
| Munger (2000), chapters
9-10, pp. 280-351 |
Recommended Reading
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March
18 & 20: |
Cost Benefit Analysis
Required Reading:
| Munger (2000), chapters
11 & 12., pp.
352-382 |
| **Michael Grunwald (2000) "How Corps Turned Doubt Into a Lock,"
Washington Post, (February 13), p. A1. |
Recommended Reading
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April
1: |
PAPER #2
DUE |
April
1 & 3: |
Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis
Required Reading:
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April
8 & 10: |
Alternative Forms of Policy Analysis: Narratives,
History, & Argumentation
Required Reading:
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**Emery Roe (1994) Narrative Policy Analysis
(Durham, S.C.: Duke University Press), chapters 1-2, appendix A. |
| **Thomas
Kaplan (1986) "The Narrative Structure of Policy Analysis," Journal
of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 761-778. |
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**Giandomenico
Majone (1989) "Analysis as Argument," in Majone. Evidence,
Argument, and Persuasion in the Policy Process (New Haven, CT:
Yale University Press), chapters 2 & 3, pp. 21-67., |
Recommended Reading
|
Emery
Roe (1994) Narrative Policy Analysis (Durham, S.C.: Duke
University Press) |
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April
17:
NOTE: FULL WEDNESDAY CLASS 12:00 -
2:00pm |
Alternative
Forms of Policy Analysis: Value & Frame-Critical Analysis
Required Reading:
| **Martin Rein (1983) "Value-Critical Policy
Analysis," in Daniel Callahan and Bruce Jennings eds. Ethics,
the Social Sciences, and Policy Analysis. (New York: Plenum),
chapter 5, pp. 83-111. |
Recommended Reading
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Part
III: Evaluating Policy & Program Impact
& Effectiveness
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April
22: |
PAPER #3
DUE |
April
22 & 24: |
Program
Evaluation as Policy Analysis
This session looks at program impact and
effectiveness. Two forms of program evaluation are examined.
The first is impact analysis: Is the program achieving the goals and
objectives that were set? The second form looks at program
implementation: Is the program carrying out the activities for achieving
goals correctly and effectively?
Required Reading:
| Weiss (1998) Evaluation, chapters 1-5 |
Recommended Reading
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April
29 & May 1: |
Program Evaluation as Policy Analysis
Required Reading:
| Weiss (1998) Evaluation, chapters 6-7,10-11 |
Recommended Reading
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May
6 & 8: |
Methodological
Options: Case Studies, Comparative Approaches, and Quantitative Approaches
- I
Required Reading:
Recommended Reading
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May
10: |
PAPER #4
DUE |
May
13 & 15: |
Methodological
Options: Case Studies, Comparative Approaches, and Quantitative Approaches
- II
Required Reading:
| TBD |
Recommended Reading
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