Public Policy PG (6268.6)

This unit aims to deepen the participants' knowledge of the theory and practice of public policy-making in Australia. It includes a strong focus on the importance of crafting evidence-based policy, while keeping the reality of the political context firmly in view. It provides an introduction to the Australian advisory system together with an understanding of current economic (macro-economy and fiscal strategy), political (federalism) and social (citizen expectations) contexts which shape policy development. It explores what is really distinctive about providing public goods and programmes? Is there a spectrum of "publicness", with some goods having a more obvious public character and others? How do you measure public value? It presents a 'critical' guide to the principles of traditional policy design and encompasses policy learning from overseas and policy framing, and it argues that strategic communication is a key tool of policy-making in a contested policy environment. Three sets of skills are developed in this module: political awareness (i.e. the capability to 'see like a minister or end user'), the ability to develop a succinct business proposal to underpin quality strategic policy advice, and advocacy skills in policy presentation.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will have:
1. An enhanced capacity to understand policy processes and undertake policy analysis;
2. Knowledge and understanding of the challenges of policy development and a capacity to apply these insights to real world policy challenges; and
3. Relevant knowledge and research skills for practical application in the public, private and non-profit sectors, and for further academic study.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas

Skills development

Designing public policies and programmes has long been recognised more as art and craft than science. Advisers try to bring evidence-based analytical perspectives to public issues of the day in a context which considers the authorising environment, ideological and political preferences, existing policy commitments and international evidence and experiences. Professor Aaron Wildavsky, a well-known teacher of policy studies, described the job of policy advisers as ‘speaking truth to power’, though what is truth and the public interest will often be contested. Our democratic Westminster traditions require government advisers to balance out the dual roles of implementing the decisions of politicians while also providing analytically sound and professional policy advice which is frank and fearless.

This unit will also introduce students to concepts, techniques and methods employed in policy analysis; evaluate the credibility of policy analysis as an understanding of policy-making in the real world; and apply this knowledge to specific policy problems.

Policy analysis requires both knowledge of the policy process (applicable to any type of policy) and knowledge of the field to which the policy applies.  It includes knowledge of the broad macro-level forces which constrain policy processes such as the political or economic contexts or processes of globalisation; understanding the institutional processes which shape policy agendas and the solutions we apply to them; the application of knowledge at the decision-making (e.g. problem definition, agenda-setting; policy formulation) and the field levels (implementation, evaluation); and technical tools of analysis.

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.