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public policy analysis > midterm review > Flashcards

midterm review Flashcards

1
Q

what is public policy?

A
  • conscious choices leading to action/inaction to address problems
  • “anything the government chooses to do or not to do”
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2
Q

what does public policy provide?

A

a framework

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3
Q

what does public policy reflect?

A

the values of society

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4
Q

why is context important in public policy?

A
  • you can’t define a problem unless you understand it
  • context influences how policy is made
  • context sets boundaries
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5
Q

what is the idealized policy process?

A

Problem Identification –> Policy formulation –> Policy adoption –> policy implementation –> policy evaluation –>

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6
Q

why do some subjects rise on the agenda while others are neglected?

A
  • ideology of the governing party
  • media attention/public perception
  • complexity of the problem (wicked v. tame)
  • political/social norms
  • division of power
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7
Q

what is Kingdon’s framework on agenda setting?

A

the level of importance an item has on the agenda is due to 4 factors: indicators, focusing events, feedback and national mood

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8
Q

what is an indicator?

A

too big of an issue for the government to ignore

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9
Q

what is a focusing event?

A

an event that draws attention/changes perceptions on issues (ex. war, disaster, BLM, 9/11)

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10
Q

what is agenda setting?

A

the process by which problems receive attention from the government

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11
Q

what is problem definition?

A

how people think about problems and understand the scope of the issue

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12
Q

what is framing?

A

how policy issues and information are communicated to create shared understandings

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13
Q

what aspects must a successful frame have?

A
  • effectively and clearly diagnose a problem
  • identify solutions
  • motivate action
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14
Q

what is evidence-based policy-making?

A
  • recommendations are rooted in non-biased and well researched evidence
  • decisions makers must trust and listen to evidence
  • relevant information must be accessible and digestible to decision makers and analysts
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15
Q

what are the 3 steps of policy adoption?

A
  • decision-making
  • legitimization
  • seeking consent and support
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16
Q

what is implementation?

A

putting a new policy into effect

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17
Q

what are internal variables of implementation?

A
  • attitudes/beliefs of administrators
  • collaboration issues (civil society, NGO’s, government deparments)
  • implementation deficits
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18
Q

what are external variables of implementation?

A
  • stakeholder response
  • interactions in the “real world”
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19
Q

what is an implementation deficit?

A

a gap between the resources required to implement policy and the resources are actually available/supplied

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20
Q

what is the ultimate stage of the policy process?

A

evaluation

21
Q

why is policy evaluation difficult?

A
  • different standards/expectations among demographics, ideologies, political parties, etc
  • time consuming
  • difficult to know when to evaluate (short v. long term effects)
  • bias/adjusted results
  • how to confirm it is the new policy causing the impacts, not external factors
22
Q

why do policies fail?

A
  • incorrect problem definition
  • lack of resources
  • implementation failures
  • lack of communication
  • lack of cooperation at street-level bureaucracy
  • incorrect foresight analysis
  • attempt to address a wicked problem
  • failure to effectively learn
23
Q

what is public policy analysis?

A

making evidence-based recommendations to solve problems

24
Q

what is the difference between policy studies v. policy analysis?

A

policy studies = the analysis of policy

v.

policy analysis = analysis for policy

25
Q

what are the core elements of policy analysis?

A
  • part of policymaking
  • generates information to support decisions
  • critically asses and communicate useful information
  • comparison of alternative options
  • multidisciplinary and may be co-produced
  • should show that some solutions are superior
  • fosters rational discourse
26
Q

what is rationalism?

A

policy should be logical and based on evidence rather than emotional/religious beliefs

27
Q

what is the rational model of policy analysis?

A

Define problem –> identify options –> specify objectives –> evaluation criteria –> outcomes and trade-offs –> recommendation

28
Q

what is Bardach’s eightfold path to policy analysis?

A

Define the problem –> assemble evidence –> construct alternatives –> select the criteria –> project the outcomes –> confront the trade-offs –> stop, focus, narrow, deepen, decide –> tell your story

29
Q

what is required to conduct policy analyses?

A
  • understanding of the problem/its context
  • access to experts and research/data
30
Q

what is policy analytical capacity?

A

the ability of individuals in relevant positions to produce valuable research/analysis on topics

31
Q

what do policy analysts do?

A
  • research and analysis
  • design and recommend
  • clarify values and arguments
  • advise strategically
  • democratize: pursue the ethical objective
  • mediate: fostering cooperation
32
Q

what are essential skills for a policy analyst?

A
  • research (quantitative/qualitative data)
  • cost-benefit analysis
  • economics
  • digital skills
  • project/time management
33
Q

how is policy analysis an evolving skillset?

A
  • identify/map stakeholders
  • manage policy networks
  • incorporate multiple/conflicting perspectives
  • ethical/futures/implementation/political feasibility/legal analysis
  • negotiation
34
Q

what is gender-based analysis plus?

A

an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups may experience policies/programs

35
Q

what are critical issues of the policy analysis practice?

A
  • political/ethical impacts
  • difficult to speak truth to power
  • balancing realism with ideal solutions
  • time constraints
  • effective collaboration
  • analysts rarely see the impact of their work
36
Q

what is the policy analytical gap?

A
  • policy analytical capacity found in many governments and NGOs is low
  • common use of consultants
  • capacity lagging behind complexity of issues
37
Q

how can we decolonize policy analysis?

A
  • understand historical context
  • recognize and address power dynamics
  • cultural competence training
  • build long-term relationships
  • partner and co-develop
  • prioritize diverse voices
  • encourage critical self-reflection
38
Q

what other theories try to explain how policy is created?

A
  • garbage can model
  • multiple streams theory
  • advocacy coalition framework
  • design thinking
39
Q

what is design thinking?

A
  • policy making is a non-linear process
  • each step is used to improve others
40
Q

what is incrementalism?

A
  • the process of policy making through a succession of incremental changes
  • build on past policies
  • comparison of small number of alternatives
  • focus on how consequences of alternatives differ from the status-quo
41
Q

what is a public problem?

A
  • a discrepancy between what is and what should be
  • unrealized needs, values and opportunities for improvement
42
Q

what are tame problems?

A
  • well defined and stable
  • definite stopping point
  • problem solvers will converge toward one correct solution
43
Q

what are wicked problems?

A
  • connected to/symptom of other problems
  • knowledge/understanding of the problem is incomplete
  • socially complex
  • often require behavioural changes
  • not right or wrong solutions, but better or worse
  • interventions will influence related problems/lead to new issues
44
Q

what is the goal of problem definition?

A

to serve as an anchor for analysis

45
Q

what makes a good problem statement?

A
  • concise and digestible
  • avoid jargon/wordiness
  • avoid easy causation
  • don’t accept client’s definition
  • don’t define too broadly/narrowly
  • don’t be vague/prescriptive
46
Q

what is the goal if identifying alternative policy options

A

to develop a portfolio of options that would address problems in distinctive ways

47
Q

what are standard modes of government intervention?

A
  • taxation
  • grants and subsidies
  • criminalization/decriminalization
  • regulation
  • education and information
  • bureaucratic and political reform
48
Q

what are nudges?

A
  • a way of steering people in decisions/actions that would benefit them if they had given the matter considered deliberate thought instead of automatic reasoning
  • changing the way choices are presented
  • usually aimed at individual level

public policy analysis (2 decks)

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