Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea To Reality

Catalog description

How does research impact and inform public policy? How does the US government fund, consume, and implement evidence-based policy recommendations? This is course helps answer these questions by taking students behind the policy research curtain. The seminar starts with an introductory unit that gives students an overview of public policy research concepts, terms, and actors. This is followed by a unit on policy analysis, using AI issues as a research location. A third unit on research synthesis features highly polarizing issues in policy research (education, gun policy). These three units will build towards a final unit on research communications and advocacy, including a final assessment where students craft a policy brief on a subject of your choice and advocate for it.