Public Policy

Objectives

The course will enable the participants to identify and evaluate the major concepts of public policy, to understand the complexity of policy-making and policy analysis, to gain information, knowledge, and skills on public policy process and public policy analysis. The course covers a variety of topics related both to the substance and methods of public policy. We will examine theoretical frameworks from a variety of disciplines. These include political science, sociology, organization theory, and political economy. We will also emphasize the role of theory in empirical policy research.

The seminar will be collegial in the sense that there is a genuine search for answers to some of the more vexing intellectual problems associated with the study of public policy. The concepts and models will be analyzed through case studies drawn from Romania or other Central and Eastern European countries.

Requirements

Since the course consist of one lecture and one seminar every week, it is essential that the participants read the recommended literature as preparation. Recommended readings can be found in the library or copies can be obtained from the instructor.

Students are required to submit a final essay that should either serve as a case study similar to those used during the course (a policy analysis, 15 – 20 pages) or concentrate on a theoretical/methodological issue, surveying the relevant literature and assessing its practical importance (15 – 20 pages).

The final grade will be a composite of the following values:

- In class activity (including participation and questions) – 10%

- Midterm examination – 40 %

- Final essay – 50%.

Preliminary Bibliography

1. James Anderson, 1997, Public Policymaking, 3rd edition, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, New York.

2. Boardman – Greenberg – Vining – Weimer, 1996, Cost-Benefit Analysis: Concept and Practice, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

3. Charles Lindblom, Edward Woodhouse, 1993, The Policy-Making Process, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

4. Bogdan Chiritoiu, 1998, Cine plateste reteta?, Experienta internationala cu sistemul pretului de referinta al medicamentelor si implicatiile sale pentru Europa de est: studiu de caz pe Polonia si Romania, Centrul pentru reforma Institutionala, Rapoarte asupra politicilor publice, Bucuresti.

5. Course Reader, 1999, Public Policy Process and Analysis, Central European University, Summer University 1999, Budapest.

6. John Earle si Almos Telegdy, 1998, Istoria zbuciumata a programului de privatizare in masa, Prima evaluare empirica, Centrul pentru reforma Institutionala, Rapoarte asupra politicilor publice, Bucuresti.

7. Sorin Ionita, 1998, Impotriva curentului, Argumente pentru introducerea taxelor de studiu in universitatile romanesti de stat, Centrul pentru reforma Institutionala, Rapoarte asupra politicilor publice, Bucuresti.

8. John Kingdon, 1995, Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies, 2nd edition, Harper Collins College Publishers, New York.

9. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Sorin Ionita, 1998, Performante institutionale in adminstratia publica locala, Centrul pentru reforma Institutionala, Rapoarte asupra politicilor publice, Bucuresti.

10. Martin Potucek, 1999, Not Only the Market, CEU Press, Budapest.

11. David L. Weimer and Aidan R. Vining, 1999, Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Syllabus

FIRST WEEK: Introduction. What Is Public Policy? Why study Public Policy? Public Policy and Values.

Readings:

- Anderson, chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 12)

- Stone: Equity, Efficiency, Security, Freedom, Course Reader, Budapest

- Weimer and Vining, Part I, chapter 1 (pp. 1 – 26)