Spring 2007 Graduate Courses
Blackboard: All WWS courses have a Blackboard course web site. You can access these sites by going to the Blackboard login page and searching for the course you would like to access, or you can click on the course titles below which will take you directly to the specific course site after logging in.
A. Finkel
Syllabus
This course will provide a basic introduction to formal methods of statistical decision theory, with emphasis on how these methods could be used to improve an increasingly prominent type of decision--cost-benefit choices regarding risks to health and the environment. Students will be exposed to various techniques for structuring decision problems, quantifying probabilities, consequences, and preferences, identifying optimal policy choices and optimal research strategies to resolve uncertainties, and evaluating retrospectively the results of those decisions.
481: Race and Public Policy (Also SOC 481/AAS 481)
D. Massey
Syllabus
Analyzes the historical construction of race as a concept in American society, how and why this concept was institutionalized publicly and privately in various arenas of U.S. public life at different historical junctures, and the progress that has been made in dismantling racialized institutions since the Civil Rights Era.
502: Psychology for Policy Analysis and Implementation
J. Darley, E. Pronin, A. Todorov
Syllabus
This course covers basic concepts and experimental findings of psychology that contribute to an understanding of the effects of policy on human behavior and well-being. Also covered are psychological factors that affect the formulation, communication, and execution of policy. Topics include a descriptive analysis of boundedly rational judgment and decision making, a consideration of social motives and attitudes, and an introduction to the ways in which agents influence and negotiate with one another, including an examination of the psychological roots of conflict.
504: Policy Issues & Analysis of Non-Profits, NGOs & Philanthropy
S. Katz
Syllabus
Examines policy issues at international, national and local levels for nonprofits, NGOs, and philanthropy. Emphasis on understanding how philanthropy, nonprofit, and NGO sectors operate, their niche alongside private and public sectors, revenue sources, impact on society, and converse effects of society and its institutions; the policy making process. Explores impact of reliance on government or overseas support for Third World NGOs; faith-based service provision; accountability and transparency; advocacy; and government regulations.
505: Financial Management in the Corporate and Public Sectors
S. Bhatt
Syllabus
An analysis of the investment, valuation, and financing of the corporation, focusing on the application of economic theory and analytic tools to the solution of financial problems. The interrelations between investment and financing policies and their dependence on security valuations are stressed.
508b: Econometrics and Public Policy: Basic
G. Lord
Syllabus
Provides a thorough examination of statistical methods employed in public policy analysis, with a particular emphasis on regression methods which are frequently employed in research across the social sciences. This course emphasizes intuitive understanding of the central concepts, and develops in students the ability to choose and employ the appropriate tool for a particular research problem, and understand the limitations of the techniques. Prerequisite: 507b
508c: Econometrics and Public Policy: Advanced
J. Rothstein
Syllabus
Discusses the main tools of econometric analysis, and the way in which they are applied to a range of problems in social science. Emphasis is on using techniques, and on understanding and critically assessing others' use of them. There is a great deal of practical work on the computer using a range of data from around the world. Topics include regression analysis, with a focus on regression as a tool for analyzing non-experimental data, discrete choice, and an introduction to time-series analysis. There are applications from macroeconomics, policy evaluation, and economic development. Prerequisite: grounding in topics covered in 507c.
512b: Macroeconomic Analysis: Basic
E. Rossi-Hansberg
Syllabus
Covers the theory of modern macroeconomics in detail. Focus is on the determination of macroeconomic variables - such as output, employment, prices, and the interest rate - in the short, medium, and long run, and addresses a number of policy issues. Discusses several examples of macroeconomic phenomena in the real world. A central theme will be to understand the powers and limitations of macroeconomic policy in stabilizing the business cycle and promoting growth.
512c: Macroeconomic Analysis: Advanced
J. Parker
Syllabus
Courses 511 and 512 provide systematic exposition of principles and techniques of economic theory that are most useful in analyzing economic aspects of public affairs. The courses are divided into separate sections according to a student's previous experience with economics and the students level of mathematical sophistication. The basic level assumes a fluency in algebra as a minimum, while the advanced level assumes a fluency in calculus as a minimum.
515b: Program & Policy Evaluation (Enrollment Limit: 20 students)
D. Peikes, A. Rangarajan, C. Trenholm
Syllabus
This course introduces students to evaluation. It explores ways: to develop and implement research-based program improvement strategies and program accountability systems; to judge the effects of policies and programs; and to assess the benefits and costs of policy or program changes. Students study a wide range of evaluation tools; read and discuss both domestic and international evaluation examples and apply this knowledge by designing several different types of evaluations on programs of their choosing. Prerequisite: 507b/c or instructor permission
515c: Program & Policy Evaluation (C-Track) (Enrollment Limit: 20 students)
D. Peikes, A. Rangarajan, C. Trenholm
Syllabus
This course introduces students to evaluation using more advanced quantitative techniques than are covered in 515b. It explores ways: to develop and implement research-based program improvement strategies and program accountability systems; to judge the effects of policies and programs; and to assess the benefits and costs of policy or program changes. Students study a wide range of evaluation tools; read and discuss both domestic and international evaluation examples and apply this knowledge by designing several different types of evaluations on programs of their choosing. Students also apply these tools empirically with Stata, using data from several large-scale impact evaluations. Prerequisites: 507c & 508c or instructor's permission
516b: Topics in Law: Globalizing International Law
P. Berman
Syllabus
Traditionally, international law focused on only two normative systems: those promulgated by nation-states and those promulgated among nation-states. More recently, it has become clear that nation-states are not the only relevant norm-generating communities to study. Moreover, understanding this plural legal order requires a broader framework, one that draws on the insights not only of lawyers and international relations theorists, but also of anthropologists, sociologists, critical geographers, and cultural studies scholars. This course considers such insights, exploring the myriad ways in which legal norms are articulated and disseminated, often with little regard for the fixed geographical boundaries of the nation-state system.
516c: Topics in Law: Islamic and Middle Eastern Law
C. Mallat
Syllabus
A seminar that will provide students with a strong and comprehensive base in Islamic and Middle Eastern law. Topics will include a historical and geographical overview of what defines Islamic and Middle Eastern law; public law; private law; criminal law in Middle Eastern-related cases; Islam, international law, and human rights; water, environment, oil, and property; lawyering in the Middle East; Islamic/Middle Eastern law in the West. No Arabic or other Middle East language required.
522: Microeconomic Analysis of Domestic Policy: Basic
M. Lopez
Syllabus
Examines a series of major issues of policy designed to illustrate and develop skills in particularly important applications of microeconomics. Topics will include education and training, the minimum wage, mandated benefits, affirmative action, the theory of public goods and externalities, and the basic theory of taxation. Prerequisite: 511b
523: Legal and Regulatory Policy Towards Markets
I. Kessides
Syllabus
This course employs the methods of microeconomics, industrial organization and law and economics to study circumstances where market failures warrant government intervention with policies implemented through the law or regulatory agencies. Topics include antitrust policy toward business practices and vertical and horizontal combinations; policy approaches toward R&D and intellectual property; reliance on tort law, disclosure law, and regulatory standards to mitigate information and externality problems pertaining to health, safety, and performance risks; and the implications for pricing, entry, and investment of different forms of public utility regulation, with examples drawn from energy, telecommunications, and transportation sectors. Prerequisite: 511c
528a: Domestic Policy Analysis: Land Use Policy and Planning
D. Kinsey
Syllabus
Examines theory and practice of land use policy and planning in the US. Explores concepts of sprawl and smart growth, then examines land use plan making, law, and regulation. Analyzes land use programs and issues at diverse levels of government, including state smart growth programs, regional agencies, fair share and inclusionary housing programs, open space conservation, and big city planning and redevelopment. Also analyzes the roles and interactions of executive agencies, courts, experts, advocates, property owners, profit-oriented and nonprofit developers, and citizens in land use issues. (Fulfills URP requirement.)
528b: Public Management: Tools for the Common Enterprise
P. Goldmark
Syllabus
This course covers management disciplines of the public and non-profit sectors, emphasizing those less frequently taught in public policy schools: recruitment and assessment of talent; interaction with the press; managing in uncertainty; the art of implementation; and others. Flexibility will be taught, practiced, and prized.
528d: Domestic Policy Analysis: Press, Politics and Public Policy
E. Thomas
Syllabus
Who controls the news? The so-called newsmakers or the press? And what can the public believe? An examination of the interaction of politicians, policymakers, and the media and the impact on policy, the national interest, and personal reputation, drawn from case studies involving national security issues, Washington scandals, and political elections. Considers the moral, ethical, and practical issues that recur in news delivery. Looks at the arts of leaking and spinning and questions of bias and competitive pressure as well as the impact of so-called New Media.
528e: Domestic Policy Analysis: Leadership (Enrollment Limit: 15 students)
N. Keohane
Syllabus
What do leaders actually do? What kinds of traits are important for successful leadership? How do followers influence the behavior of leaders? And what impact does exercising power have on your personality? We will draw from classical political theory (including Plato, Machiavelli, and Max Weber), current "leadership literature," and case studies of decision-making. Among the topics are expertise and collaboration, responsibility and accountability, women and leadership, and leadership in various kinds of organizations.
528f: Information Technology and Public Policy (Also COS 598e)
E. Felten
Syllabus
Information technology plays an ever-growing role in our lives, our economy, and our government, putting pressure on existing policy arrangements and raising entirely new policy issues. This course will examine a range of infotech policy issues, including privacy, intellectual property, free speech, competition, regulation of broadcasting and telecommunications, cross-border and jurisdictional questions, broadband policy, spectrum policy, management of the Internet, computer security, education and workforce development, and research funding. Assignments will consist of weekly reading, weekly writing assignments, and a final project. This course is suitable for students without any special technical background.
535: Planning Methods
T. Wright
Syllabus
This course introduces a set of concepts and tools that are widely used in the practice of urban and regional planning. The focus is on developing an operational understanding of the models, techniques and data used in such applications as regional economic and demographic projections, cost-benefit analysis, and land use analysis. Emphasis is also placed on the limitations of the methods.
538: Politics and Policy Making in Metropolitan Areas
J. Trounstine
Syllabus
Analyzes political life in urban areas. Considers institutional arrangements of city politics, the role played by diverse communities in governance, and the intersection of local, state, and national governments in the policy process. Specific attention is given to several issue areas: economic development, fiscal management, welfare, culture politics, and education. (Fulfills URP requirement.)
540: Urbanization and Development (Also SOC575)
P. Fernandez-Kelly
Syllabus
Examines the origins, types, and characteristics of cities in less developed countries and the ways in which patterns of urbanization interact with policies to promote economic growth and social equity. Readings and class discussions address three areas: a) a history of urbanization in the Third World; b) an analysis of contemporary urban systems, demographic patterns, and the social structure of large Third World cities; c) a review of the literature on urban dwellers with emphasis on the poor and their political and social outlooks. (Fulfills URP requirement.)
542: International Economics
P. Krugman
Syllabus
Survey course in international economics for non-specialists. The first half covers microeconomic topics such as trade theory and policy, multilateral trade negotiations and regional economic integration. The second half addresses macroeconomic topics such as current account imbalances, exchange rates, and international financial crises. The course stresses concepts and real-world applications rather than formal models. Prerequisite: 511b, 512b concurrently
543: International Trade Policy
P. Krugman
Syllabus
Evaluates arguments for and against protection and adjustment assistance and considers topics chosen from the following: non-tariff barriers, dumping, embargo threats and trade warfare, and the political economy of trade policy formation. Special attention is given to trade problems of the less-developed countries, including North-South trade relations and commodity price stabilization. Prerequisite: 511c
546: American Foreign Policy
D. Baldwin
Syllabus
This course will consider selected topics in American foreign policy. The scope of the course will include foreign-policy making processes and institutions as well as major foreign policy issues. Topics include the respective roles of the president, congress, and the bureaucracy in making foreign policy. Additional topics are terrorism, military force, economic sanctions, human rights, nuclear proliferation, trade policy, and grand strategy. Case studies will include the Vietnam War, Cuban missile crisis, and the war in Iraq.
547: The Conduct of International Diplomacy
R. Erdman
Syllabus
Offers a comparative look at the making and implementation of policy in the international arena. It explores key concepts and theories concerning national interest, negotiation, strategies of action and influence, crisis management and conflict resolution, and it applies those concepts via case studies and simulations in diplomacy, counter-terrorism, foreign assistance, and security policy.
549: National Security Policy
A. Friedberg
Syllabus
Examines the changing meaning of “national security” and the various policies and institutions through which states may seek to enhance it. Emphasis is on the formation and implementation of national security policy by the U.S. government.
553: Comparative Political Economy
C. Boix
Syllabus
This course is designed to survey and critically discuss contemporary political economy; that is, the set of existing theories that model the impact of political conflict and political institutions on economic performance. The course is structured around the following main issues: the causes of growth; the relationship between openness, political institutions and economic policy-making, the causes and consequences of politically enforced redistribution. The course is analytical in its theoretical perspective and comparative from a methodological point of view.
556a: Topics in IR: Designing International Institutions (Enrollment Limit: 16 students)
R. Keohane, A. Slaughter
Syllabus
This course will seek to apply the insights generated by political science research on int'l regimes to the actual design of existing and new int'l institutions. We will begin with the basics of regime theory, with a particular focus on the fit between different types of cooperation and coordination problems and the type of regime. Second, we will examine a range of formal and informal regimes, including transgovtl networks and broader policy networks including corporate and civic actors in the global arena. Third, we will develop normative criteria for judging the success of specific regimes. In the second half, we will ask groups of students to focus on actual regimes in different areas of international politics -- the environment, human rights, trade, humanitarian intervention, etc.--and present papers on how the design of these regimes could be improved. These presentations will form the basis of final papers in the course. MPA-J.D. students are particularly encouraged to take the course.
556b: Topics in IR: Empires and Imperialism
J. Ikenberry, A. Kohli
Syllabus
This course will systematically situate America’s ‘informal empire’ in a comparative and historical context. A major point of comparison will be colonial empires of the 19th and the early 20th century, of Great Britain, Japan and France. We will study how America’s informal empire is similar to and how it differs from old colonial empires. We will take stock of the historical origins of US foreign policies (the Monroe Doctrine, Open Door Policy, and the post-WWII settlement, including the establishment of the Breton Woods system and the UN). The focus, however, will be on the more recent US role in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Specific topics will include British colonialism in India and Nigeria, and Japanese colonialism in Korea. The second half will focus on the global activities of the US, likely to include the US role in Vietnam, Chile, and Iraq.
556d: Topics in IR: Protection Against Weapons of Mass Destruction
F. von Hippel
Syllabus
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the only significant security threats to the U.S. and its allies have been from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Historically, the US focus has oscillated between protection via nonproliferation and disarmament agreements, and via civil and missile defense. The course assesses the threats, both approaches to protection, and linkages made between policies on WMD and perceptions of "conventional" military threats.
556e: Topics in IR: Europe, America, and the World
J. Fischer, R. Hutchings, A. Moravcsik
Syllabus
This course will focus on European and American approaches, both historical and contemporary, to major global trends and challenges. Topics will include the future evolution of European integration, globalization, the greater Middle East and the rise of Asia, development assistance, environmental policy, counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation, the UN and other multilateral organizations, and the promotion of democracy and human rights. Emphasis will be on how to conceptualize new long-term trends in international relations and how the traditional transatlantic partnership can be refashioned for a new era.
562b: Economic Analysis of Development: Basic
D. Yang
Syllabus
Introduction to the processes of economic growth and development. The course examines various theories of development; poverty and inequality measurement; and the role of markets for credit, labor and land, as well as education and health, in development. The role of public policy will be considered within each of these topics. The course may also cover topics such as foreign aid, commodity pricing, and tax policy. (WWS 512b can be taken concurrently.) Prerequisite: 511b
562c: Economic Analysis of Development: Advanced
A. Case
Syllabus
This course considers theories and evidence to explain processes of economic development. The course examines theories of economic growth, and the two-way links between development and poverty, inequality, social institutions, and the family. We will also examine policy debates on education, health, and social policy, and governmental and international aid. Prerequisites: 507c, 511c
572b: Topics in Development: Policy Implications of Globalization (Also SOC577)
M. Centeno
Syllabus
Explores the historical background of globalization including previous examples of this phenomenon. Proceeds with an overview of competing contemporary theories of the causes and consequences of globalization. Discusses the types of data required for analysis of the policy implications of globalization and how these can be utilized. Emphasis on the use of transactional data using network analysis. Students will use primary sources and databases in discussions of policy areas including trade, migration, security, media, etc. No formal training in statistics, database management, or networks required.
572c: Topics in Development: Development Ethics
S. Kothari
Syllabus
Structured around the belief that the theory and practice of development need to be grounded in a historical, ethical, normative and ecological framework, not measured by economic growth alone. What then defines an ethically grounded development? We address the complex issues of North-South relations, consumption, the social nature of knowledge acquisition and production, our relationship and attitudes to Nature, the “insider” and the “outsider,” and well-being. This course will explore these questions and broaden your understanding about the ethics of development.
572e: Tpcs in Devt: Social Movements, Democracy and Justice
S. Kothari
Syllabus
This course provides a theoretical and historical background and some analytical tools to better grasp the nature and scope of current social movements in Asia, Latin America and the United States. It offers an overview and an understanding of the struggles of peasants, workers, indigenous peoples, women and other concerned people, who are reclaiming their commons and demanding greater local autonomy, environmental and gender justice and more accountability from state and other national and global economic actors, while challenging conventionally held beliefs on democracy, ecology and justice. The course also examines the growing linkages between and among local, national and global movements and international advocacy organizations.
582b: Topics in Econ: Environmental & Natural Resource Economics
S. Brunnermeier
Syllabus
This course introduces the use of economics in thinking about environmental and natural resource issues. It explores the concepts of market and policy failure, property rights, social cost-benefit analysis and sustainable development, and applies these concepts to problems related to local and trans-boundary pollution, natural resource management, sustainable development, population policy, and trade and the environment.
582c: Topics in Economics: The Economics of Health (Also POP504)
A. Lleras-Muney
Syllabus
This course analyzes health care issues from an economic perspective. The course will review basic economic theory, empirical strategies in health and an overview of the fundamental institutional aspects of health care in the US. Some topics covered are: What are the determinants of health? Do drug addicts behave rationally? Do health insurance markets work as other markets? Should the government regulate health care provision and insurance markets? Why have health care costs risen and is it a problem? What have been the effects of managed care? Are physicians paid more than they deserve? Possible comparison of health care systems across western countries. Prerequisite: 511b/c
586d: Topics in STEP: Global Environmental Governance
M. Oppenheimer
Syllabus
Examines international law and governance in the context of environmental problems. Considers the need for regulation under conditions of scientific uncertainty in issues such as climate change, bovine growth hormones, GMOs, fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and ozone depletion. Explores the efficacy of diverse regulatory approaches, mechanisms for scientific advice to policymakers and participation by business firms and NGOs. Considers intersections between environmental regulation (both domestic and international) with trade, investment, and multilateral development and aid programs. Co-taught with Prof. Richard Stewart, NYU School of Law.
586f: Topics in STEP: Politics of Science/Environment Policy
D. Goldston
Syllabus
This course will examine the complicated intersection of science and politics by analyzing current attitudes toward science in the Executive Branch and the Congress and the consequences of those attitudes for policymaking. The course will also analyze how such attitudes have changed over time, how the changing political treatment of science reflects larger political changes in the federal government, and what might be done to shape the political understanding and application of science in the future. Topics will include specific issues being debated in Congress, including climate change, clean air policy, and forestry policy with an eye toward seeing how issues are increasingly framed as matters of "science," leading politicians to simultaneously put science "on a pedestal" and attack it. David Goldston was the Chief of Staff, House Committee on Science, from 2001-06.
594a: The Evolution of the International Monetary System
P. Kenen
Syllabus
This course will review the evolution of the international monetary system since the end of the Second World War, with particular attention to the roles of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and of the United States. It will focus on critical episodes that altered the system, but it will also examine developments in Europe, including the formation of the European Monetary Union (EMU), and the crises afflicting the emerging-market countries in the 1980s and 1990s. It will conclude with a review of recent proposals for reform of the IMF.
594b: Policy Analysis: Executive Branch Politics (Session II)
D. Lewis
Syllabus
The executive branch is the nexus of policy making in the Post-War period in the United States. The vague and sometimes conflicting policy mandates of the legislature, the chief executive, and courts get translated into real public policy in the bureaucracy. The course focuses on executive branch policy making and performance. It covers the people, external influences, organizations, and processes that shape and implement policy administratively. Some specific topics include the politics of bureaucratic structure, centralization and politicization as strategies of bureaucratic control, and contemporary techniques for measuring and improving agency performance.
594c: The Intersection of Chinese and U.S. Foreign Policy (Session I)
Jim Leach
Syllabus
The operating assumption of this course is that the Sino-American relationship will be the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century and that the prospect of relations being ill-managed by one or both sides is far from negligible. The first sessions will examine the most explosive geo-strategic flash points of the moment--Taiwan and North Korea. Subsequent sessions will assess China's rivalries with its neighbors, balance of trade and energy competition, the role of ideology and human rights, and the growth of China's political influence in the world based on a foreign policy rooted in economic chauvinism. From an American perspective, emphasis will be placed on the role of Presidential decision-making since Nixon and the complementary and increasingly competitive role of Congress. The possibility that political leadership may be constrained in unhelpful ways by their respective publics will also be considered.
594d: Topics in Devt: International Disaster Response: Prevention, Relief & Recovery (Session II)
E. Schwartz
Syllabus
This course will examine the efforts of the international community, and the United Nations in particular, to respond to humanitarian, recovery and reconstruction challenges posed by both natural and man-made disasters. We will assess the effectiveness of efforts to incorporate early warning and other natural disaster prevention measures into recovery and development planning and practices; the success of the UN’s Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in managing disaster response and the record of humanitarian agencies in providing relief; and the role of the UNDP and other agencies in managing the transition from relief to development. We will also examine new mechanisms to promote post-conflict reconstruction, such as the Peacebuilding Commission and Peacebuilding Support Office at the United Nations, and assess efforts to address security requirements in environments where a ceasefire or the signing of a peace agreement has not put an end to conflict.
594e: Policy Analysis: Poverty and Public Policy (Session I)
S. McLanahan
Syllabus
This course examines poverty in the United States in the last half of the twentieth century. Topics include 1) how poverty is measured and problems with the official measure, 2) trends and differentials in poverty, 3) causes and consequences of poverty, including sociological, economic, and political perspectives, and 4) anti-poverty policies, including cross-national differences in welfare states. (Acceptable as a half-course towards the demography certificate.)
594f: Policy Analysis:Lessons from OECD Social Policy (Session II)
A. Adsera, K. Newman
Syllabus
How do patterns of poverty and social exclusion differ in the OECD countries, compared to the U.S.? This course is organized along the lines of the life course, focusing first on poverty and deprivation among the very young, proceeding to problems of education, then examining aspects of family formation/household structure, and labor market participation. We conclude with a discussion of old age poverty. Within each segment, the course explores policy choices made by different kinds of countries (e.g. Nordic social democracies, liberal states, etc.) in dealing with these problems and then asks to what extent the lessons we learn from them are transferable to the U.S. context.
CANCELLED - 594g: Policy Analysis: Education Policy (Session I)
A. Shorris
594h: Economics of Education (Session II)
A. Krueger
Syllabus
This course will consider the economic and educational benefits and costs of various education reforms. The passage of the "No Child Left Behind" Act (NCLB) in January 2002 provides an important watershed event in educational reform. After basic tools and approaches are covered, the course will consider the implementation and effects of the "No Child Left Behind Act." Other topics to be covered include the rate of return to schooling, vouchers, class size and training.
594i: Policy Analysis: Political Economy of Central Banking (Session I)
A. Blinder
Syllabus
This course focuses on the central bank as an economic and political institution. Topics covered will include traditional economic topics such as the goals and instruments of central banks, the monetary transmission mechanism, and theories of central bank behavior. But attention will also be paid to more political/institutional issues such as central bank independence, internal decision-making, transparency, accountability, and credibility.
594j: Policy Analysis: Urban Poverty and Health in Developing Countries (Session II)
M. Montgomery
Syllabus
This course explores poverty and health in the cities of the developing world, with attention to both conventional conceptions of poverty (real income) and more broadly devined ones (social capabilities), including the neighborhood effects that may put slum-swellers at a particular disadvantage. In the health dimension, emphasis will be given to environmental health and maternal and child health. We will also explore how urban economic and social factors influence women's feelings of health self-efficacy.
594k: Policy Analysis: The Development Challenge of HIV/AIDS (Session I)
K. Hansen
Syllabus
This seminar will review the origins of HIV, the multiple impacts of AIDS, the reasons for sustained global neglect, the foundations of effective prevention and treatment programs, and the urgent need to improve monitoring and evaluation. Special attention will be given to the role of social factors in the epidemic. Course participants will examine the policy-making process related to global public goods, and consider whether the world is better positioned to avert a resurgence of this pandemic or the emergence of the next threat. The seminar will require active class participation, one oral presentation, and a final paper.
594l: Policy Analysis: Public Health and Public Policy (Session II)
E. Armstrong
Syllabus
The philosophy, practice and politics of public health in the U.S. Considers the principles of epidemiology and social, political and institutional forces that shape public health policy; the determinants of health; government's role in minimizing risks and maximizing well-being; major organizational structures responsible for monitoring, protecting and promoting public health. Topics include environmental and occupational health; emerging infections; food safety; violence; tobacco control; immunization policy and promoting healthy living.
594m: Mental Health (Session I)
B. Singer
Syllabus
International comparative and historical overview of concepts of mental illness and well-being. Evolution of diagnostic criteria for mental illnesses. History of psychiatry and psychoanalysis and the influence of neuroscience on them. Neurobiology of depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and narcotics addiction. Public perceptions of mental illness and their implications for policies pertaining to treatment and prevention programs: cross-national comparisons. Recent discoveries about neurogenesis and their implications for positive mental health and the future of psychiatry. Pharmacological interventions and the tensions between the pharmaceutical industry, the public interest, and government regulation.
594n: Policy Analysis: Globalization & Infectious Disease (Session II)
B. Singer
Syllabus
This course investigates the interrelationships between macro-level political, social, and economic forces and the health of populations. The British and French colonial experiences in Asia and Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries and their implications for human health: case studies of South Africa, the Colonial Malay States, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and Kenya and Tanganyika (now Tanzania). Evolutionary origins of bacteria, viruses, and parasites and the influence of ecosystem transformations on the transmission of tuberculosis, malaria, yellow fever, syphillus, gonorrhea, HIV, and a diversity of other infectious diseases. The 1918 influenza pandemic and its lessons for health and social policies today. The impact of contemporary multinational corporations on the health of local populations. Case studies in Chad, Brazil, Russia, and Tanzania. Tradeoffs and conflicts between disease-specific campaigns and systemic support of health systems.
594o: How to Win Elections (Session I )
M. Edwards
Syllabus
The most important decisions of American democracy--whether to go to war, how much each citizen will be taxed, who will sit on the Supreme Court, how much support the government will provide to its neediest citizens--ultimately these crucial decisions are made by those relatively few men and women who have been elected to public office. This is a course for those who want to win one of those important decision-making positions, or those who want to learn how to elect others who share their perspectives and their priorities. We will focus on the fundamentals of raising money, organizing precincts, framing campaign messages, getting voters to the polls. We will study real campaigns and discuss the ethics of campaign fundraising, negative advertising. Mickey Edwards served as a Member of Congress from the 5th district of Oklahoma from 1976 to 1992.
594p: Policy Analysis: Human Security and Development (Session II)
J. Gershman
Syllabus
The publication of the Human Security Report in 2005 marks the emergence of human security as a more formal operational policy framework, but it remains an essentially contested concept. This course will explore the ethical, analytical, policy and operational dimensions of several approaches to human security, including the narrowest "freedom from fear" approach. Particular areas of focus will include the "responsibility to protect," HIV/AIDS, and failed states. Requirements will include a presentation of the readings for one session, a debate, and a 12-15 page paper that either reviews the literature on human security and associated policy implications in one issue area or is a policy memo that crafts a human security rationale for a particular policy position for a government agency, NGO, or multilateral organization.
594q: Policy Analysis: Public Health in Developing Countries (Session I)
S. Maccini
Syllabus
This course examines the process of formulating health policies in developing countries by looking at both theory and practical experience. Topics include: the health sector reform process and implementation, the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development plan of action and its implementation, and the experience of setting policies for specific health issues. Case studies from several developing countries highlighting their experience in implementing various health policies will be presented.
594r: Policy Analysis: Military Force Planning & Decision Making (Session II)
M. Meese
Syllabus
This course introduces important issues of conventional force planning and military decision making. It includes discussion of service cultures, doctrines, capabilities, and limitations. The course broadly covers strategy, planning, readiness, force projection, employment, and logistics throughout the spectrum of conflict, including conventional war, the global war on terrorism and peacekeeping operations. Through theoretical and doctrinal readings and examination of selected case studies, the course provides background essential for those involved in the study and practice of national security decision making.
594s: Policy Analysis: Energy, Terrorism, Security and Regime Stability (Session I)
C. Boucek
Syllabus
This course will examine issues of terrorism, security, and regime stability in hydrocarbon producing and exporting states in the Middle East and Central Asia. Attention will be given to episodes of terrorism directed against energy infrastructure, terrorist motivations, and other sources of political instability. Potential threats and implications will be explored, as will their implications on global energy supplies. These topics will be studied in the relation to developments in both the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, Iran, Iraq, Libya) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan). Special consideration will be given to potential ramifications of these issues for American strategic and regional policies.
594t: Policy Analysis: Political Change in the Gulf Monarchies
S. Hertog
Syllabus
Although the geo-economic importance of the Gulf monarchies is universally acknowledged, they are often misperceived as deeply anachronistic ruling structures floating on oil. In recent years, though, these countries have experienced some dynamic changes in both the political and economic realms. This course will examine their political systems in a comparative framework, comparing them both among themselves and with other developing countries, drawing on various approaches of political sociology and, in particular, political economy. Specific questions to be addressed include state formation and state-society relations in the Gulf; relations between rulers and merchant families; political stability in dynastic regimes; “resource curse” theories; and top-down vs. bottom-up reform pressures.
598: Epidemiology (Also POP508)
N. Goldman
Syllabus
Areas of focus include measurement of health status, illness occurrence, mortality and impact of associated risk factors; techniques for design, analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic research studies; sources of bias and confounding; and causal inference. Also includes foundations of modern epidemiology, the epidemiologic transition, reemergence of infectious disease, social inequalities in health, and ethical issues. Examines the bridging of "individual-centered" epidemiology and "macro-epidemiology" to recognize social, economic and cultural context, assess impacts on populations, and provides important inputs for public health and health policy. Prerequisite: 507b/c or advanced statistics
750: Work Study: Domestic
M. Edwards
Syllabus
Opportunities to integrate formal education with professional practice by working for a public affairs organization. Under the supervision of an official of the organization, the student normally devotes about one day per week to a specific work assignment, assisting in the development of public policy, or in running a government agency. A study component includes 4 to 5 class meetings during the semester and preparation of a research paper under the supervision of the work-study instructor.
751: Work Study: International
A. Adsera
Syllabus
Opportunities to integrate formal education with professional practice by working for a public affairs organization. Under the supervision of an official of the organization, the student normally devotes about one day per week to a specific work assignment, assisting in the development of public policy, or in running a government agency. A study component includes 4 to 5 class meetings during the semester and preparation of a research paper under the supervision of the work-study instructor.