Advising and Advocacy

Catalog description

How do citizens and groups advocate for interests? How do they advise leaders to make changes? And, when are they more likely to influence the policy direction of the nation? This course offers an analysis of modern American "advising and advocacy" styles and models, with a focus on the politics of domestic policymaking. Students will study the use of power and authority, the importance of strategic opportunities, the nature of decision-making in a separated system, and the role that government, interest groups, and public opinion play in those decisions. Based on these perspectives, we will bring our informed insights to address an important question within our current circumstances: how to represent those who were/are marginalized in the political landscape. Thus, students in this class will serve as advocates for those who may not have the strongest voices in political discussions and advise elected officials on how to construct a policy agenda that attends to underserved citizens and historically marginalized communities. Indeed, a primary goal of the class is to study and critically analyze how systems of inequality and disadvantage inform politics and policy from a social justice perspective.