PAM 1500

FWS: Reading and Writing in Public Policy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2022-2023 Catalog.

In this class, we will discuss how public policies can be understood and evaluated through clear, evidence-based writing. Assigned reading will focus on poverty alleviation in developing countries with the assistance of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo's Poor Economics – a book which addresses the health, education, and financial lives of the poor. Students will be asked to write a series of essays identifying policy problems, detailing proposed solutions, and arguing in favor of specific policy proposals. Students will choose essay topics based on their own policy-related interests with no requirement that they be related to the reading. Students will be advised and evaluated on the strength of their writing with a special emphasis on clarity and cited evidence.

Outcomes

• Identify high quality primary sources regarding public policy topics
• Critically analyze and revise works written by professionals, peers, and themselves
• Write clear and concise summaries of relevant policy topics
• Publicly present and discuss opinions in an academic setting

When Offered Fall, Spring.

Comments For Human Ecology and Brooks School students this course will not count toward the 43 HE credits.

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