Paper instructions:
Choose a public policy (piece of legislation) and use the knowledge you have gained in
this course to trace the origin of the policy from its genesis to now. Your paper must relate
your research to class material; including, but not limited to, theoretical concepts, theo-
ries of the policy process, and methodology. Your paper must have the following sections.
First, you must have a
Problem Definition
section. How was the problem defined? How
did the policy get onto the agenda? What were the relevant frames and values from which
the problem was viewed? How was the problem presented to the public? What research
or empirical analysis was used to define the problem? Were there any specific metrics (i.e.
percent of people at or below the poverty line; costs presented as percent of GDP; global
emissions levels; Gini coefficient, which represents inequality; etc.)?
Second, you must have a
Policy Formulation
section. What were the major strug-
gles during formulation (i.e. What values were in conflict?)? Who were the primary
actors who played a role in formulation? What important considerations were used
when formulating the policy? How did specific institutions (i.e. initiative or referendum,
Congress, State legislatures, the judiciary, etc.) affect the way the policy was formulated?
Next, you must have an
Implementation
section. Did the policy change from how it
was legislated to how it is currently (or was) implemented. Were there any significant
problems with implementation or enforcement?
Finally, you must have an
Evaluation or Analysis
section. Have there been any recent
evaluations (empirical analyses) or changes to the policy? Has there been any recommen-
dations to alter the policy in any way? Are there any disappointed parties fighting to
repeal the policy? Is there a movement to change the policy? If you identified specific
metrics in the problem definition section how have they changed? Have they improved
(i.e. a reduction in the percentage of people at or below the poverty line; reduction is
costs as a percent to GDP; reduction in global emissions levels; a reduction in the Gini
coefficient; etc.)?
If the policy has been terminated you should include a brief
Termination
section. How
and why was the policy terminated or repealed? Has the policy been (is being) replaced
with another policy?
