Graduate Seminar in American Government and Policy
California State University, Northridge
Political Science 540
Spring 2000
Professor Matthew
Cahn
Office:
ST 208
Phone:
677-6518
Office
Hours: Wed 5-7 pm
Email: matthew.cahn@csun.edu
Seminar Description
This seminar introduces students to the dominant
literature in public policy, as a subfield within the field of American
Government. We will then explore
environmental policy as a substantive case study in order to apply the policy
literature in a meaningful way. As a
graduate seminar it is assumed that all students will attend all seminar
sessions, with appropriate readings completed, and prepared to actively engage
in class discussions.
Required Reading
The required reading for the seminar is
purposely low. This is to allow seminar
participants the time to research their substantive research project. As a participant in a graduate seminar you
will be expected to read between 200 and 250 pages per week, including both
assigned readings and literature you have identified in your research. As well, you can expect to spend several
hours per week in the library, in the computer lab (or on your home computer),
and doing field work (collecting data).
The quality of your education, and of the seminar, depends entirely on
the energy you put in.
Books:
Deborah Stone: Policy Paradox: The Art of Decision
Making
B 2nd Ed. (Norton, 1998)
Theodoulou & Cahn, Public
Policy: The Essential Readings
(Prentice Hall, 1995)
Schneider & Ingram: Policy
Design for Democracy (Univ Press of Kansas -- 1997)
Rosenbaum: Environmental
Politics and Policy (CQ Press,
1998, 4th Edition)
Vig & Kraft: Environmental Policy (CQ
Press, 2000, 4th Edition)
Course Requirements
Seminar
Participation 50%
Research Paper
50%
The course employs the
traditional +/- grading system.
Requirements include participation in working groups, discussion, weekly
exercises, and completion of a semester research paper. There are no midterms and there is no final
exam. University policy requires me to
remind you that cheating or plagiarism (representing the work of another as
one's own) will result in an "F" and may result in further
disciplinary measures.
The Research Paper
The final research paper will be the culmination
of the semester's work, and must include a clear discussion of the research
question, a review of the relevant scholarly literature, and most importantly,
analysis of the relevant data. As
always, the papers must use proper citation and bibliographic format, and the
final results written up according to the protocol outlined in the APSA or
similar Style Manual. We will
discuss topics and approaches in class.
Semester Outline: Please note that reading MUST
be done PRIOR to day it is listed.
Week I (2/2): Introduction to Course
Public Policy as a
subfield of American Government
Structure of Course
(Readings: Stone, chs. 1-5)
Week II (2/9): Introduction to Public Policy
Introduction to Public
Policy
Goals, Problems, &
Solutions
(Readings: Theodoulou and Cahn, ch. 1, Stone, chs.
6-15)
Week III (2/16): The Classic Policy Theories -- Part A
Nature of Public Policy
The Policy Process
(Readings: Theodoulou
and Cahn, chs. 2-21)
Week IV (2/23): The Classic Policy Theories -- Part B
The Players
The Policy Game
(Readings: Theodoulou
and Cahn, chs. 22-46 )
Week V (3/1): The Policy Sciences and Policy Design
Policy Design and
Democracy
Pluralism and Its
Discontents
Consequences of Policy
Design
(Readings: Schneider & Ingram, chs. 1-4)
Week VI (3/8): Policy Design and Democracy
Social Construction and
Target Populations
Degenerative Policy
Designs
Scientific and
Professional Policy Designs
(Readings: Schneider & Ingram, chs. 5-7)
Part II:
Environmental Policy as a Case Study
Week VII (3/15): The Politics of Environmental Policy
The Regulatory
Environment
Politics and
Environmental Policy
(Readings: Rosenbaum, chs. 1-5)
Week VIII (3/22): Environmental Policy in Transition
Environmental Policy
from 1970-2000
New Federalism and Power
to the States
Institutional Change
(Readings: Vig &
Kraft, chs. 1-8)
Week IX (3/29): Issue Areas
Air and Water
(Readings: Rosenbaum 6;
and the Air Quality
Management Plan -- See http://www.aqmd.gov/aqmp/97aqmp/
Use Netscape in CSUN Lab
to view -- these are large files)
Week X (4/5): Issue Areas
Toxic and Hazardous
Waste
Energy Policy
(Readings: Rosenbaum, chs. 7-8)
Week XI (4/12): Issue Areas
Public Lands
Coastal Policy/ Marine
Reserves -- Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
(Readings: Rosenbaum, chs. 9-10; See http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/nmpreserves.html)
(4/19): SPRING RECESS
Week XII (4/26): Issue Areas
Global Policy
(Readings: Rosenbaum, ch. 10; Vig and Kraft, chs. 13,
15, 16)
Week XIII (5/3): Dilemmas in Environmental Policy
Incentives
Risk-Based Decision
Making
Environmental Justice
Sustainability
(Readings: Vig & Kraft, chs. 9-12, 14)
Week XIV (5/10): Paper Presentations
Each seminar member will
make formal presentations of their papers (5-10 minutes)
Week XV (5/17): Finish Presenting Papers & Final Discussion
** Final Papers Due on
Day of Final Exam **
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and Policy Environmental Policy
and Management California
Studies
Matthew Cahn
Department of Political Science
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8254
(818) 677-3488
matthew.cahn@csun.edu