Macquarie University

Studying Public Policy - POL822

This unit addresses the question of how to study policy-making. The unit is divided into three parts:
Part 1: Key methological concepts and issues, and comparative methodologies
Part 2: The three Is (Interests, Institutions and Ideas); this section is organised around three blocks, each covering one of the three Is in theory and practice (i.e. with regard to research addressing specific policies and countries)
Part 3: Student presentations on their puzzles and research designs
The approach is comparative, and for this reason Part 1 of the unit with be devoted to methodological issues relevant to doing and reading comparative research, which students are expected to apply to their research design and final research paper (see assessments). The module will ask students to think about policies and policy-making through the lenses provided by different research approaches, and in particular those focusing on interests, institutions and ideas.
In terms of substantive policies, we will focus mostly on economic policy although we will also provide examples and readings from other domains.
Note that the unit is rather reading-heavy (approximately 40 pages per week). Note that readings will also be the object of the mandatory weekly quizzes (see assessments).