printer friendly pagePUBLPOL 200C: Senior Practicum
Small student teams conduct policy analyses requested by government and nonprofit organizations. With guidance from the instructor and client organization, each team researches a real-world problem and devises implementable policy recommendations to help address it. The project culminates in a professional report and presentation to the client organization. Cardinal Course certified by the HAAS Center for Public Service. Prerequisites: core courses in Public Policy or consent of instructor.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 5
Instructors:
Dennis, J. (PI)
PUBLPOL 200H: Senior Honors Thesis Seminar
Honors students conduct original research for their policy-related Honors thesis. The course is designed to help students make progress on their theses and improve their analytical, research, and communication skills.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Chee, C. (PI)
PUBLPOL 201: Introduction to American Politics and Policy: In Defense of Democracy (AMSTUD 123X, POLISCI 102, PUBLPOL 101)
American democracy faces a series of unprecedented challenges. This course will identify the greatest areas of weakness in the American political system, make sense of the most pressing threats facing democracy, and contemplate how democracy can be strengthened. With this them - in defense of democracy - in mind, we will examine several questions: What guiding principles, norms, and institutions organize and structure American politics, and how do they affect the health and effectiveness of American democracy? What do patterns of political participation and representation in the United States tell us about the health of our democracy? How do partisan and social identities breed hostility and antagonism among the mass public? How does information from the media and other sources advance or frustrate democratic outcomes? What does increased violence - political, racially motivated, or otherwise - reveal about the trajectory of democracy in the United States? This is a course built on the science of politics, and our aim is to bring the scientific study of politics to bear on these pressing questions.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
Instructors:
Bonica, A. (PI)
;
Jefferson, H. (PI)
;
Belo-Osagie, A. (TA)
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Instructors:
Bonica, A. (PI)
;
Jefferson, H. (PI)
;
Belo-Osagie, A. (TA)
;
Fikejs, E. (TA)
;
Flores, C. (TA)
;
Sturdivant, M. (TA)
PUBLPOL 203F: Ethics of Truth in a Post-Truth World (PUBLPOL 103F)
This course will explore changing notions of truth in a world in which technology, global risks, and societal developments are blurring the boundaries of humanity and boring through traditional notions of nation states, institutions, and human identity. It will also offer a parallel journey to consider truth in your own life and how truth contributes to your own resilience in the face of life challenges. We will ask one over-arching question: Does truth matter anymore? If so, why and how? If not, why not? Either way, how does truth relate to ethical decision-making by individuals and institutions and to an ethical society? How does truth relate to a life well lived? Seven themes will organize our exploration of more specific topics: science and subjectivity; identity; memory; authenticity; artificial intelligence; imagination; and a life well-lived. Examples of topics to be explored include, among others: truth and technology (from ChatGPT to home devices); white supremacy; DNA testing
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This course will explore changing notions of truth in a world in which technology, global risks, and societal developments are blurring the boundaries of humanity and boring through traditional notions of nation states, institutions, and human identity. It will also offer a parallel journey to consider truth in your own life and how truth contributes to your own resilience in the face of life challenges. We will ask one over-arching question: Does truth matter anymore? If so, why and how? If not, why not? Either way, how does truth relate to ethical decision-making by individuals and institutions and to an ethical society? How does truth relate to a life well lived? Seven themes will organize our exploration of more specific topics: science and subjectivity; identity; memory; authenticity; artificial intelligence; imagination; and a life well-lived. Examples of topics to be explored include, among others: truth and technology (from ChatGPT to home devices); white supremacy; DNA testing and the 'identify as' movement, and identity; University history (Rhodes, Georgetown slavery, Yale Calhoun College, Junipero Serra...); the connections among truth, memory, and history; new questions in gender and racial identity; Chinese beautifying app Meitu and other social media "truth modifiers"; the sharing economy; the impact of AI and DNA testing sites on legal truth. We will consider how we determine and verify the truth; how we "do" truth; the role of truth in ethical decision-making; the importance of truth to effective ethical policy; and the relationship of the truth to a life well lived. An analytically rigorous short final paper in lieu of exam. This three-credit seminar may be taken as a stand-alone course or may accompany
PUBLPOL 134 Ethics on the Edge to fulfill the Public Policy major ethics requirement. The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates will not be at a disadvantage. Everyone will be challenged. Distinguished Career Institute Fellows are welcome and should contact Dr. Susan Liautaud directly at susanliautaud@googlemail.com. Students wishing to take the course who are unable to sign up within the enrollment limit should contact Dr. Susan Liautaud at susanliautaud@googlemail.com. *Public Policy majors taking the course to complete the core requirements and students taking the course for Ways credit must obtain a letter grade. Other students may take the course for a letter grade or C/NC. To satisfy a Ways requirement, this course must be taken for at least 3 units.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 2-3
Instructors:
Liautaud, S. (PI)
;
Chun, R. (TA)
PUBLPOL 204: Economic Policy Analysis (ECON 150, PUBLPOL 104)
The relationship between microeconomic analysis and public policy making. How economic policy analysis is done and why political leaders regard it as useful but not definitive in making policy decisions. Economic rationales for policy interventions, methods of policy evaluation and the role of benefit-cost analysis, economic models of politics and their application to policy making, and the relationship of income distribution to policy choice. Theoretical foundations of policy making and analysis, and applications to program adoption and implementation. Prerequisites:
PUBLPOL 50 or
ECON 50. Students are also strongly encouraged to either complete
ECON 102B prior to taking this course or take
ECON 102B concurrently with this course. Undergraduate Public Policy students are required to take this class for a letter grade and enroll in this class for five units.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4-5
Instructors:
Rosston, G. (PI)
;
Varela Seoane, S. (TA)
PUBLPOL 205: Empirical Methods in Public Policy (PUBLPOL 105)
Methods of empirical analysis and applications in public policy. Emphasis on causal inference and program evaluation. Public policy applications include health, labor and saving. Assignments include hands-on data analysis, evaluation of existing literature, and a final research project. Objective is to obtain tools to 1) critically evaluate evidence used to make policy decisions and 2) perform empirical analysis to answer questions in public policy. Prerequisite:
ECON 102B. Public Policy students must take the course for a letter grade. Priority for enrollment will be given to Public Policy students. Non-Public Policy majors must receive instructor permission to enroll.
Terms: Win, Spr
| Units: 4-5
Instructors:
Chee, C. (PI)
;
Zhao, P. (TA)
PUBLPOL 206: Law and Economics (ECON 154, PUBLPOL 106)
In this course, we explore the role of law in promoting social well-being (happiness). Law, among its other benefits, can serve as a mechanism to harmonize private incentives with cooperative gains, to maintain an equitable division of those gains, and to deter social defection and dystopia. Law is thus an implementation of the social contract and essential to civilization. Economic analysis of law focuses on the welfare-enhancing incentive effects of law (and of law enforcement). More generally, we study the law's role in reducing the risks of cooperation, achieved by fixing expectations of what courts or the state will do in possible futures. Prerequisite:
ECON 50 or
PUBLPOL 50. Final paper instead of an exam. Instructor consent required for enrollment. Please email the instructor a short statement of interest (300 words max) explaining why you would like to enroll in the course.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 4-5
Instructors:
Vasquez Duque, O. (PI)
PUBLPOL 217A: Research and Policy on Postsecondary Access (EDUC 117, EDUC 417, PUBLPOL 117)
The transition from high school to college. K-16 course focusing on high school preparation, college choice, remediation, pathways to college, and first-year adjustment. The role of educational policy in postsecondary access. Service Learning Course (certified by Haas Center).
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Antonio, A. (PI)
PUBLPOL 219: AI, Autonomy, and the Future of Warfare (INTLPOL 265, PUBLPOL 119)
The introduction of artificial intelligence and autonomy into warfare will have profound and unforeseen consequences for national security and human society. This course prepares future policymakers and industry leaders for the complex debate surrounding the developmental, legal, ethical, and operational considerations of creating machines with the ability to apply lethal force. Students will gain a detailed and multi-perspective understanding of the associated opportunities and risk by lectures and discussions with expert guest speakers and a cohort of students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. There will be two days of class each week. One day is a lecture session and the other is a discussion session. The lecture session will occasionally have guest lecturers with recent real-world experience in the topic and is intended to expose students to current knowledge and perspectives. The following discussion session will be an opportunity to digest, and reflect on, the ideas from lecture, but will also be a chance for group work on graded assignments. No experience in the content is necessary. Varying perspectives are essential in any conversation on this topic. Undergrads also welcome.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Boyd, B. (PI)
PUBLPOL 222: BioSecurity and Pandemic Resilience (BIOE 122, EMED 122, EMED 222, PUBLPOL 122)
Overview of the most pressing biosecurity issues facing the world today, with a special focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical examination of ways of enhancing biosecurity and pandemic resilience to the current and future pandemics. Examination of how the US and the world are able to withstand a pandemic or a bioterrorism attack, how the medical/healthcare field, government, and technology sectors are involved in biosecurity and pandemic or bioterrorism preparedness and response and how they interface; the rise of synthetic biology with its promises and threats; global bio-surveillance; effectiveness of various containment and mitigation measures; hospital surge capacity; medical challenges; development, production, and distribution of countermeasures such as vaccines and drugs; supply chain challenges; public health and policy aspects of pandemic preparedness and response; administrative and engineering controls to enhance pandemic resilience; testing approaches and challenges; prom
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Overview of the most pressing biosecurity issues facing the world today, with a special focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical examination of ways of enhancing biosecurity and pandemic resilience to the current and future pandemics. Examination of how the US and the world are able to withstand a pandemic or a bioterrorism attack, how the medical/healthcare field, government, and technology sectors are involved in biosecurity and pandemic or bioterrorism preparedness and response and how they interface; the rise of synthetic biology with its promises and threats; global bio-surveillance; effectiveness of various containment and mitigation measures; hospital surge capacity; medical challenges; development, production, and distribution of countermeasures such as vaccines and drugs; supply chain challenges; public health and policy aspects of pandemic preparedness and response; administrative and engineering controls to enhance pandemic resilience; testing approaches and challenges; promising technologies for pandemic response and resilience, and other relevant topics. Guest lecturers have included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Special Assistant on BioSecurity to Presidents Clinton and Bush Jr. Dr. Ken Bernard, former Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Robert Kadlec, eminent scientists, public health leaders, innovators and physicians in the field, and leaders of relevant technology companies. Open to medical, graduate, and undergraduate students. No prior background in biology necessary. Must be taken for at least 4 units to get WAYs credit. Students also have an option to take the class for 2 units as a speaker series/seminar where they attend half the class sessions (or more) and complete short weekly assignments. In -person, asynchronous synchronous online instruction are available.
Terms: Win
| Units: 2-5
| Repeatable
3 times
(up to 15 units total)
Instructors:
Trounce, M. (PI)
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