Policy Process and Negotiation

Instructors

Masahiro MATSUURA / Hideaki SHIROYAMA

Credits / Language / Semester

2Credits / English / Winter

Objectives/Overview

This course provides an introductory overview of theory and practice of public policy processes.

Its first part cultivate essential understanding of policy processes. It starts with an overview of canonical theories on policy processes, such as incrementalism, agenda setting, implementation, and bureaucracy. In each class we will also discuss about the variety of policy process depending on the cultural and institutional contexts and the role of knowledge in the policy process. This course will cover recent trends, such as policy transfer and new public management, as well. In order to put these theories in a context, the course will discuss policy-making processes, such as bureaucracy and recent reforms, in Japan as well from comparative perspective. This segment of the course is structured around pre-class readings and in-class discussions. Students are asked to present a synthesized summary of their assigned readings in the class.

The latter half of the course will deal with strategic policy-making techniques. It starts with an overview of negotiation theory as the foundation for the strategic management of stakeholders. Then students are asked to engage in case-based exercises to improve their communication and policy design skills.

Keywords

Policy Process, Policy Analysis, Policy Science, Negotiation, Agenda Setting, Framing, Consensus Building, Deliberative Democracy, Public Participation

政策形成過程,政策過程,政策分析,政策科学,交渉,アジェンダセッティング,フレーミング,合意形成,熟議民主主義,市民参加

Schedule

10/1 Introduction to the course

PART I: POLICY PROCESSES
10/8 Incrementalism and Agenda Setting
10/15 Policy Processes
10/22 No class
10/29 Institutional Design
11/5 Policy-making dynamics ? Varieties and Coordination
11/12 Lesson Drawing and Policy Transfer
11/19 Science Policy
11/26 Policy Processes in Japan

PART II: NEGOTIATION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING
12/3 Position and Interests
12/10 Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement
12/17 Mutual-Gains Negotiation and psychology
1/7 Negotiation Simulation (two party, two issue)
1/14 Consensus Building Processes
1/21 Theory on Democracy, Participation, and Deliberation

Teaching Methods

Class participation is crucial. Each student is asked to review the assigned article/chapter (total number of articles to review per each student depends on the class size) and present its summary in the class. The instructor will facilitate the student discussion so that everyone in the classroom will have the basic theoretical understanding of theories for public policy processes and negotiation.

In each class, students will take a short quiz regarding the article discussed in the previous class.

During the semester, each student is asked to submit two short essays (2 pages) related to course readings. Students, particularly whose first language is not English, are encouraged to develop professional writing skill through these essays. At the end of the semester, students will be asked to submit another short essay (approx. 5 pages) that reflects on actual public policy cases using the literature reviewed in this course.

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HOW EACH CLASS WILL PROCEED:

PART I. Developing a shared understanding of theory/literature
1.One of the students will make a summary presentation on the assigned reading for 10 minutes
2.Other students and the instructors will ask challenging questions for 5 minutes.
3.Instructors will summarize the key lessons to be drawn from the reading material.
(Step 1-3 repeated on another reading material)

PART II. Applying theoretical lessons to a practical analysis
4.Another student will prepare a short case material.
5.S/he will make a presentation about the case material for 20 minutes.
6.S/he will lead the in-class discussion.

PART III. Wrapping up
7.All students are asked to take a short paper-based quiz on the reading.

Grading

Class participation, in-class presentations, two mid-term short essays, mini-quiz, and term paper.

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