12042 Selected Topics in Public Policy 1

Credits: 3 graduate credits in Democracy Studies / Government and Public Policy

Prerequisites: Two of the following courses: Democracy: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Israeli Democracy: Selected Issues, Contemporary Democratic Theories; and exemption from bibliographic assignments on computer searches in the “Alef” catalog and databases.

Authors: David Nachmias, Ori Arbel-Ganz

Objectives: To impart basic concepts, theoretical approaches and applied models for diagnosing public policy. The course offers students the opportunity to systematically analyze varied case studies, thus deepening their knowledge of key issues in public policy in Israel.

Topics: Public policy in a democratic state, the development of the democratic state in western countries; State-society ideologies as the basis for public policy; Normative justification for state intervention in the life of individuals and society; Positivist justification for public policy; Public policy outcomes; Types of policy; Public policy between three sectors; Public policy stages; Government culture and its effect on public policy design-implementation-assessment; Public policy in Israel: judicial and institutional characteristics of Israeli democracy; Authorities and institutions that shape and influence public policy in Israel; Non-government stakeholders and their influence on public policy in Israel; Central issues in public policy in Israel; Governance crisis in Israel and application barriers.

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1Students who took Public Policy (10723) or Public Policy: Theory to Practice (13037) may not take this course.

Students may write a seminar paper in this course, although it is not required.