Public Policy (328-0-20)

Instructors

Brian Libgober

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall G01: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

Public policy is politics expressed through law. This course introduces students to public policy from the standpoint of law and politics, asking how governments translate public goals into statutes, regulations, administrative programs, legal rights, and enforcement systems. We will examine how democratic and legal institutions actually function: how they structure political conflict, channel expertise and interest-group pressure, constrain public officials, and deliver effective policy or fail to do so. Across examples from contemporary political debate and less familiar policy domains, students will learn to evaluate public policy as a problem of legal design, political conflict, and institutional choice. The course is expected to be especially useful for students with interests in law, politics, and public policy.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze public policy using core analytic frameworks from law, political science, and economics; identify recurring policy problems such as collective action failures, moral hazard, adverse selection, and time inconsistency; evaluate how democratic, legal, and bureaucratic institutions shape policy outcomes; critically assess evidence and arguments used in policy debates; and communicate policy analysis effectively in both written and oral form. Students should also develop a deeper understanding of how statutes, regulations, courts, agencies, and political institutions interact to produce public policy in the United States and other wealthy democracies.

Teaching Method

The course will be taught primarily through a combination of lecture and discussion. Classes will mix conceptual material with applied analysis of contemporary and historical policy problems. Students will regularly engage in discussion, short exercises, peer review, and presentations designed to develop skills in policy analysis, argumentation, and communication. Some class sessions may also incorporate simulations or structured group activities.

Evaluation Method

Evaluation will be based on class participation, short written assignments, a policy op-ed, a policy memorandum, peer review exercises, and an in-class presentation. Participation—including engagement with class discussion and reading quizzes—will constitute a substantial component of the final grade. Written assignments will emphasize policy analysis, argumentation, and applied problem-solving rather than formal examinations. Approximate grading weights are: participation and reading quizzes (30%), written assignments including short policy pitches, op-ed, and policy memorandum (50%), and presentations (20%).

Class Notes

No prior background in public policy, economics, or law is required. The course is designed as an accessible introduction for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including those considering careers or further study in law, government, public policy, political science, or related fields.

Class Attributes

Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for Political Science students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites.