Quantitative Tools for Policy Analysis (334-0-20)

Instructors

Mischa Fisher

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall 303: Mon 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Annenberg Hall 345: Mon 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Annenberg Hall 303: Mon 2:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

What does the world look like? How do factors interact? How are policy levers pulled? How do
different coalitions compete for influence and decision-making power? ... Why does any of it
matter?

More importantly: how do we put all these questions into a single framework of looking at the
world while bridging the gap between academic understanding and the realities of practical
governance?

This class blends learning about a range of quantitative tools from statistics and econometrics,
that will teach you how to think about unresolved problems in conjunction with the practical
realities of juggling stakeholder input and consent-based governance.

Each week we'll examine a contemporary policy debate surrounding a specific industry or policy
area, we'll review a new empirical method that helps us understand the dynamics of that
industry, and we'll review both academic papers and applied policy papers surrounding each
topic.

Since this is a course on applications and practical realities of governance and decision making,
much of your grade will be in the form of a final analysis project that has you examine a subject
and an available dataset, while also presenting your findings to the class in a succinct and
compelling way.

Registration Requirements

** a note on math: If your math training is rusty (or non-existent), do not despair! This is not a
math class, and will not require advanced knowledge of calculus, statistics, or matrix algebra.

This is a class about thinking and framing questions, and the challenging realities of getting
groups of people to work together, form consensus, and craft policy.

Evaluation Method

Weekly Exercises: 35%
• Weekly Labs: 35%
• Final project and presentation: 30%