The course is conducted in English。

In a world of imperfect markets, government intervention is necessary to solve collective problems and live in a more just society. It is thus important to learn what governments do and do not do, and what they do right in terms of public policies. In this class, we will develop an in-depth understanding of what public policy is and why we accept government involvement in solving collective problems. We will learn definitions and practical examples of public policy and of the policy process (agenda setting, formulation, implementation, and evaluation), making use of several examples from China, East Asia, Europe. This course is divided into two parts. The first one will consist of lectures, discussions, and a policy data workshop that will help students gain theoretical and data knowledge on public policies. The second part of the course will be more interactive and consist of lectures, students’ presentations, a field trip, and a video projection. This part will focus on specific policies at the center of current public debates, such as economy, labour market and migration, environment, education, health care, housing, and welfare

At the end of the course, students will be able to: - Distinguish main scholarly theories behind policy design - Summarise how to formulate, implement, and evaluate a policy - React to discussions on policy issues with experts and practitioners - Formulate policy-relevant arguments by putting theory into practice Through public policy analysis, students are stimulated to develop insight, creativity, and imagination, while gaining knowledge, training, and discipline. Studying public policy is important for future careers as policy analysts, public employees, and non-profit and for-profit organizations careers at the national and international levels.

For the first half of the class, students are given suggested readings for each lecture and are encouraged to actively participate in the class debate sharing experiences about their own country. The data analysis part will include two small exercises, to be conducted as a group. For the second half of the class, students are invited to: Prepare policy analysis presentations based on specific policy topics in collaboration with groups of two classmates. Each presentation should last around 20-30 minutes. The PPT materials should be sent to the instructor via email at least 24 hours before the presentation day. All the other groups should make sure to consult these materials in advance, and be prepared to raise at least one question and one comment per group, as feedback for the presenters. Students will be finally evaluated with a final term assignment. In lieu of the final exam, students are required to submit an updated version of their policy recommendation following feedback received during their presentation. The assignment should be around 1,000 words in length and be structured as follows: 1) Problem statement/ issue area/ relevant background 2) Description of the policy field and its actors 3) Description of the policy implementation case(s), and your analysis based on theories learnt in class (ex. the gap between these policies and their implementation) 4) Policy recommendation This has to be submitted individually in the form of a short essay via e-mail at ijinh@ntu.edu.tw not later than one week from the end of the semester (i.e. before June 13).

Required readings: Fischer, F., & Miller, G. J. (Eds.). (2017). Handbook of public policy analysis: theory, politics, and methods. Routledge. Birkland, T. A. (2019). An introduction to the policy process: Theories, concepts, and models of public policy making. Routledge Extension readings: Dodds, A. (2018). Comparative public policy. Macmillan International Higher Education Moran, M., Rein, M., & Goodin, R. E. (Eds.). (2008). The Oxford handbook of public policy. Oxford University Press.

See the syllabus in modules