Race, Inequality, and the Political Analysis of Public Policy (313-0-20)
Instructors
Sally Afia Nuamah
Meeting Info
Annenberg Hall 345: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
This class aims to help each student think critically about the role of public policy in shaping racial inequality. The course will cover substantive issues around race in politics and how they intersect with many issues, most notably capitalism, sexism, and classism. Further, this course will familiarize you with substantive research on politics with concrete insights for public policy stakeholders. Together, we will use these insights to become better political analysts.
In this class, we will take nothing for granted: we will discuss the fundamentals of the policy process throughout the quarter (for example, how a bill becomes a law). We will then investigate the role of race in shaping these policy processes (for example, how racial divides shape partisanship positions on a bill). We will discuss the various groups outside of the institutional system that affects and are affected by public policy, including the general public, activists, and organizers. We will discuss the strengths and limits of policy and likely generate more questions than we can answer.
While the main focus of the course is to discuss race, policy, and inequality, there will also be an emphasis on public policy and political science writing formats, styles, and standards. We want to ensure that you can take your learning and apply it to formats useful in real-world policy circles.
Teaching Method
Lecture and project based work
Class Materials (Required)
Everything is available for free
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Pre-Registration -- Reserved for SESP Students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable.