Policy Process and Negotiation
Faculty
MATSUURA, Masahiro
SHIROYAMA, Hideaki
Credit / Semester / Schedule
2 Credits / Winter Semester / Tuesday Period: 3
Description
This course provides an introduction to analytical frameworks and strategic planning for policy processes. Its first part deals with key ideas for analyzing policy processes. It starts with an overview of canonical theories on policy processes, such as incrementalism, agenda setting, implementation, and bureaucracy. In a 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. In the last part of the course, each student prepares a specific policy proposal including his/her implementation and institutionalization strategies.
Course materials
To be assigned in the first class.
Grading
Class participation, essays, and term paper (including presentation).