GOVT 3325 – American Public Policy *Draft* Fall 2005

Prof: Scott Robinson R 7:00-9:45

GR 2.537 (x4043) GR 2.302
scottr@utdallas.edu
Office Hours: TR 2-3pm, R 6-7, and by appointment

Course Objectives:

The American government carries out a wide variety of activities. Federal officials make decisions about the
safety of medicines, the allocation of federal officials to investigate terrorism, and the oversight of national
parks. Local government officials decide where police officers are sent, what budgets fire departments receive,
and how much high school teachers are paid. All of these diverse activities are policy decisions.

In this course, we consider various explanations for how the American political system decides what issues
deserve attention, makes policy decisions, and implements those decisions.

This course also covers the basics of writing a term paper on a social science topic. We will discuss the nature
of social science research, how to conduct library research for a social science term paper, and the planning and
writing of the term paper itself.

Textbooks:

There are three required textbooks for the course.

Peters, B. Guy. 2004. American Public Policy: Promise and Performance. Sixth edition. CQ Press.

Shafritz, Jay M., Karen S. Layne, and Christopher P. Borick. 2005. Classics of Public Policy. Pearson
Longman.

Writing a Research Paper in Political Science. Pre-publish manuscript from Thompson/Wadsworth.

Attendance:

On lecture days, attendance is optional. However, many days of the semester have quizzes. You will only be
able to drop one of these and there are no make-up quizzes.

Class Etiquette

It is essential that you respect the interests and needs of your fellow students. Do not do anything that may be
disruptive or prevent other people from learning. Disruptively talking in class or having your cellular phone go
off will result in you being asked to leave class for that lecture. PLEASE turn your cellular phones off before
coming to class.

Grading:

30% Quizzes
30% Homework
40% Term paper
Final letter grades will be distributed based on the following system.

F: 0-59
D: 60-62
D: 63-66
D+: 67-69
C-: 70-72
C: 73-76
C+: 77-79
B-: 80-82
B: 83-86
B+: 87-89
A-: 90-92
A: 93-96
A+: 97-100

Term Paper Assignments:

This course satisfies the upper-division writing requirement. Everyone is required to write a term paper due at
the end of the course. More information on the term paper will be given to you early in the semester.

The term paper will be an iterative process. The due dates for the iterative stages of the research (the
homework) are listed on the class schedule.

Academic Dishonesty:

Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes scholastic
dishonesty and its consequences (see http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/chapter49.html). If you have any
doubts, contact me before you turn in your assignments.

Disability:

If you have a condition that requires accommodation in this course, please speak with me after class or in
office hours during the first week of class. I will be happy to make appropriate accommodations provided
timely notice is received and the arrangement is consistent with any recommendations from Disability Services,
when applicable. Disability Services can be reached at 883-2098. The syllabus and other course materials can be
made available in alternative formats.

Late Examinations and Papers:

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day listed on this syllabus. Turning in assignments late
will result in a penalty assessed to the grade. If the assignment is turned in the day after it is due, the grade will
be reduced by 10%. If the assignment is turned in the second day after the due date, it will be penalized 30%.
No assignments will be accepted later than the second day following the due date – the result will be a 0 on the
assignment. If you will not be able to turn in the assignment on the assigned dates, contact me about turning
the paper in early. Consider this syllabus as your warning about the due dates.

I do not accept assignments turned in electronically or slid under my office door. Everything must be turned
over to me or the class TA in person – preferably during class time. If you want to turn in an assignment early,
you may do so by turning it in early to me or the TA. Locating me or the TA to turn in early or late
assignments is your responsibility.

The term paper must be turned in with both a paper and an electronic version (on a floppy disk or CD). The
term paper is not considered completed until both formats are turned in to me – and thus may become late as
per the above policy.
Schedule of Topics and Readings:

The following schedule lists the topics and readings for each week.

I reserve the right to revise the syllabus at any time (for example, by adding or removing reading material,
changing the daily topics). I will announce any changes ahead of time in class.

8/18
Class Introduction
8/25
What is a Public Policy?
Required Reading:
Peters Chapters 1&2
Madison “Federalist No. 10” CPP Page 77
Truman “The Governmental Process” CPP Page 83

9/1
Agenda Setting
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 3
Cobb and Elder “The Dynamics of Agenda-Building” CPP Page 128

9/8
Legitimating Public Policies
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 4
Stone “Policy Paradox” CPP Page 62
Quiz #1

9/15
Implementation
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 5
Lipsky “Street-Level Bureaucrats” CPP Page 51
Research Paper Chapter 1

9/22
Budgeting
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 6
Research Paper Chapter 2
Quiz #2

9/29
Policy Evaluation
Required Reading:
Peters Chapters 7 , 16, and 17
Research Question Homework Assignment Due

10/6
Economic Policy
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 8
Hayek “The Road to Serfdom” CPP Page 170
Friedman “Capitalism and Freedom” CPP Page 185
Research Paper Chapter 3
Quiz #3
10/13
Tax Policy
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 9
Lowi “American Business” CPP Page 107
Research Paper Chapter 4

10/20
Health Care Policy
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 10
Kingdon “Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies” CPP Page 148
Lindblom “The Science of Muddling Through” CPP Page 26
Literature Review/References Homework Assignment Due
Research Paper Chapter 5

10/27
Income Maintenance Policy
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 11
Galbraith “The Affluent Society” CPP Page 180
Thurow “The Zero-Sum Society” CPP Page 189
Research Paper Chapter 6
Quiz #4

11/3
Education Policy and Culture Wars
Required Reading:
Peters Chapters 12 and 15
Edelman “Symbols and Political Quiescence” CPP Page 375
Outline Homework Assignment Due
Research Paper Chapter 7

11/10
Energy and Environmental Policy
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 13
Downs “Up and Down with Ecology” CPP Page 137
Harding “The Tragedy of the Commons” CPP Page 396
Abstract Homework Assignment Due
Research Paper Chapter 8

11/17
Protective Policy and Conclusion
Required Reading:
Peters Chapter 14
Wildavsky “The Two Presidencies” CPP Page 234
Huntington “The Clash of Civilizations?” CPP Page 361
Research Paper Chapter 9
Quiz #5

**Term Paper Due 11/28**