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Course syllabus Public Policy Analysis, Reading Course

Swedish name: Policyanalys, läskurs

Course code:
2SS067
Valid from semester:
Spring Term 2022
Education cycle:
Second cycle
Scope:
7.5 credits
Progression:
A1N
Grading scale:
Three-grade scale
Main field of study:
Political Science: Security Studies
Department:
Department of Political Science and Law
Subject:
Political Science
Language of instruction:
The teaching is conducted in English.
Decided by:
Forsknings- och utbildningsnämndens kursplaneutskott (KUS)
Decision date:
2022-01-01

Entry requirements

Accepted to the Master's Programme in Politics and War or to the Doctoral Programme in Political Science with a specialisation in crisis management and security.

Course content and structure

The reading course offers students in-depth knowledge of theoretical tools used in studies of policy processes. The course provides an understanding of some academic discourses that have driven the development of knowledge about decision theory, policy-making and contemporary research in the fields of policy analysis and public administration. The course covers a number of research themes in the field of knowledge, such as agenda-setting, advocacy coalitions and policy-oriented learning. The relationship between crisis and policy change is of particular interest.

Students are encouraged to use policy theories to identify factors and conditions that contribute to policy outcomes. A critical approach to concepts in, and design of, scientific texts is promoted through the task of completing a written examination assignment.

Type of Instruction
Self-studies.

Instruction takes place through an introductory session and a mandatory final seminar.

Objectives

After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

  • In an in-depth way, critically present, discuss and analyse contributions to the research literature onpolicy analysis
  • Evaluate these approaches in depth with regard to method use and usability within the subject areas
  • Based on policy analysis and theory, identify factors and conditions that contribute to policy outcomes
  • Critically analyse the role of crises and disasters in the policy process

Examination formats

Assessment takes place through an individual written examination assignment of 3,000 words that is assessed at a final mandatory seminar.

Active attendance at the mandatory final seminar is mandatory. Absence cannot be made up. A student who does not attend may participate in the seminar the next time the course is given.

The examiner may decide to allow supplementation in order to achieve a passing grade. Examination papers submitted after the deadline will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner. After announcement of the supplemental task, the student has three days for supplementation, unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.

Grading
Grades are set according to a three-grade scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.

Transitional provisions

When a course is no longer provided or when the content of a course has been significantly altered, the student has the right to be examined in accordance with this course syllabus twice per academic year over a period of two years.

Other regulations

The course cannot be part of a degree together with a course whose content matches the content of this course in whole or in part.

The course is given as an elective course within the Master's Programme in Politics and War.

The course is given in English.

  • On completion of the course, an evaluation will be conducted and will serve as the basis for any changes to the course.
  • If a student has a decision from the Swedish Defense University on special educational support due to a disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.

This is an edited version of the syllabus, created to transfer the original to the education database Ladok education planning. For originals, refer to the archive.
Reading list decided date: 2023-09-28
Books
Bacchi, C. & Goodwin, S. (2016). Poststructural Policy Analysis: A Guide to Practice . New York: Palgrave Pivot Springer Nature.

Birkland, T. (2006). Lessons of Disaster: Policy Change After Catastrophic Events . Washington: Georgetown University Press.

Weible, C. (Ed.) (2023). Theories of the Policy Process (5th ed), London & New York: Routledge.

Articles
Bolukbasi, H.T. & Yildirim, D. (2022). Institutions in the politics of policy change: who can play, how they play in multiple streams. Journal of Public Policy 42(3):509–528.

Cairney, P. (2023). The politics of policy analysis: theoretical insights on real world problems, Journal of European Public Policy 30(9): 1820-1838.

Cumming, G.S. ; Epstein, G. ; Anderies, J.M. ; Apetrei, C.I. ; Baggio, J. ; Bodin, Ö. ; Chawla, S. ; Clements, H.S. ; Cox, M. ; Egli, L. ; Gurney, G.G. ; Lubell, M. ; Magliocca, N. ; Morrison, T.H. ; Müller, B. ; Seppelt, R. ; Schlüter, M. ; Unnikrishnan, H. ; Villamayor-Tomas, S. ; Weible, C.M. (2020) Advancing understanding of natural resource governance: a post-Ostrom research agenda, Current opinion in environmental sustainability 44: 26-34.

Dunlop, C.A. & Radaelli, C.M. (2018) Does Policy Learning Meet the Standards of an Analytical Framework of the Policy Process?, Policy Studies Journal 46(S1) S48-S68.

Durnová, AP & Weible, CM (2020). Tempest in a teapot? Toward new collaborations between mainstream policy process studies and interpretive policy studies. Policy Sciences 53:571–588.

Kamkhaji, JC & Radaelli, CM (2017) Crisis, learning and policy change in the European Union, Journal of European Public Policy 24(5): 714-734.

Kenney, SJ (2003) Where Is Gender in Agenda Setting?, Women & Politics 25(1/2):179-207.

Newman, J. (2017) Deconstructing the debate over evidence-based policy, Critical Policy Studies 11(2): 211-226.

Yanow, D. (2007) Interpretation in policy analysis: On methods and practice, Critical Policy Analysis 1(1): 110-122.