Public Policy: Advocating for Change (PPMN10002)

Society is seemingly faced with several complex and intractable problems that require dramatic changes in public policy. Citizens, activists, and NGOs often bemoan the slow pace of change, or the inaction of government in response to grand challenges. In light of these difficulties, what is needed is a deeper understanding of the nature of policy change, and how individuals and organisations can influence these changes.

This subject will explore how policies change. To do this, it will focus in on the mechanisms of change. What tools, processes, and frameworks are available to influence public policy? What institutional barriers exist to creating change? The subject will also explore the nature of policy change, asking questions about the role of individual actors and coalitions in these processes, and the conditions that bring about (or impede) such change. Finally, the subject will introduce different ways of assessing that a change has occurred, its extent, and nature. Ultimately, students will be armed with a solid understanding of how to influence the policy process, and the barriers to this occurring.