Public
Administration and its Environment
California State
University, Northridge
MPA 610
Fall 2000
Professor Matthew Cahn
Tuesdays, 6 to 8:45 p.m. 9/5-12/5
Department of Political
Science
(805)
437-8570
matthew.cahn@csun.edu
Course Description
Public Administration is
concerned with identifying and implementing policy responses to public problems
-- including both policy analysis and public management. This course is designed to provide an
overview of the discipline and to increase the student's awareness of
theoretical and practical aspects of the field.
Required Texts
Stillman,
Public Administration: Concepts and Cases (6th Ed., Houghton
Mifflin, 1996)
Theodoulou & Cahn, Public Policy: The
Essential Readings (Prentice Hall,
1995)
Scott & Garrison, The Political Science
Student Writer's Guide (Prentice
Hall, 2000, 3rd Ed)
Course Requirements
The course will be
conducted as a seminar -- that is, the course will survive on the contributions
of seminar participants. Each participant is expected to come to class ready to
critically analyze the reading and prepared to add to the ongoing class
discussion. The extent to which you
bring your personal experiences and insights into the discussion will define the
richness of the discussion.
Course requirements
include class participation, an oral report, and a written paper. All class meetings are mandatory. If you must miss a class, please meet with
instructor for alternative assignment. Readings,
of course, are critical. It is expected
that students will complete all reading assignments prior to class for
which they are assigned. Students are
expected to be prepared to comment on the readings, and to integrate the
readings into the ongoing discussion. Since
verbal communication is the keystone to public administration, students are
required to complete an analysis paper (10 - 12 pages). Finally, students will present their papers
orally for the entire class.
Papers may deal with any
topic in public administration, and must utilize course materials as well as
appropriate additional resources. The
paper should state the issue or controversy clearly and concisely; discuss the
issue in terms of public administration theory and practice; evaluate our knowledge
and understanding of the issue; and reach some conclusions based on that
knowledge. Do not simply summarize what
others have said on the issue -- evaluate their contributions in light of the
evolving literature and make your own contribution. The papers should be written in a scholarly format, typed
double-spaced, according to the protocol outlined in Scott & Garrison. Remember to cite all sources of ideas and
information to avoid even the appearance of plagiarism!
Participation: 25%
Oral Presentation: 25%
Paper: 50%
Course Outline (reading must be done prior to day assigned)
Week I (9/5):
The Search for Scope and Purpose in Public Administration;
Highlights of PA (see book liner)
Stillman ch. 1; 16
The Research Paper: Scott & Garrison: Entire Book
Week II (9/12): The Bureaucracy of Public Administration;
Bureaucracy & Public Interest
Stillman ch. 2; 15
Theodoulou & Cahn
chs. 1-4;
Week III (9/19): The Environment of
Public Administration;
Stillman ch. 3;
Theodoulou & Cahn
chs. 5-6;
Week IV (9/26): Administrative Responsibility & Ethics;
Stillman ch. 4;
Week V (10/3): Intergovernmental Relations;
Stillman ch. 5
Week VI (10/10): Informal Groups;
Stillman ch. 6;
Week VII (10/17): Subsystems and Issue
Networks;
Stillman ch. 7; 14
Theodoulou & Cahn 7;
Week VIII ( 10/24): Incrementalism;
Stillman ch. 8;
Theodoulou & Cahn
ch. 11-15;
Week IX (10/31): Information
Networks; Stillman ch. 9;