INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC POLICY

This course lies in the basic educational activities ("attività formative di base") of the Bachelor course in Society and Social Work which provides students with the keys to understanding the characteristics and dynamics of contemporary societies. In particular, this course aims to provide basic knowledge and understanding of public policy analysis.
The course, therefore, aspires to offer students theoretical and practical tools for interpreting public policies and knowing how to recognize the dynamics through which the related policy-making process develops (actors, governance networks, stakes, policy tools, processes decision-making, implementation and evaluation).

Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course students will know and will comprehend:
- the specific terminology of public policies and how it applies to the policy process;
- the main research issues and problems of the analysis of public processes.
- the main elements and characteristics of the life cycle of the policies (agenda setting, design, decision making, implementation, evaluation). Many examples will be given to understand better how to relate theory to actual policies.

Applying knowledge and understanding
After the course, students will be equipped to:
-correctly use the terminology of public policies in the actual policy-making processes which are analysed;
- simulate the the application of different approaches when they have to cope with a specific policy problem;
- recognize the different phases of the policy-process as regards social policies evolution.

Evaluating skills
Students will learn to develop basic hypotheses for evaluation of real policies (they learn how to build indicators.

Communication skills
Students will develop the ability to:
- communicate the evolution of a public policy, its critical points and crucial turning points using appropriate terminology.
- interact with peers critically and respectfully
- present to the class the synthesis of the work carried out in the group


Learning skills
Students will learn how to critically use textbooks (and their references) and other materials uploaded on Moodle: this is important for making connections among different approaches and contexts.

Students taking this course are expected to have a basic understanding of sociology's main concepts and topics. Furthermore, they should have basic knowledge of the legal system of the Italian state. Therefore, students should have already taken the exams in Sociological Theories and Public and Administrative Law.

During the course the theoretical and framework coordinates of the discipline of public policies will be offered and numerous examples and case studies of real policies will be presented, including social policies, environmental policies, policies related to the administration of cities (traffic management, waste, conflicts, perception security, etc.). The topics covered are:
The concept of public policy and the main elements to analyze it (actors, decision-making arenas, resources, policy tools).
The policy-making process: agenda-setting, problem-setting, decision-making, policy implementation, policy evaluation.
The binomial politics/policy and its implications on the outcome of public action.

Manual:
Bobbio L., Pomatto G. e Ravazzi S. (2017), Le politiche pubbliche. Problemi, soluzioni, incertezze, conflitti, Mondadori Università, Milano. Capitoli: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
In addition:
Ranci C. e Pavolini E. 2015 Le politiche di welfare, Il Mulino, Capitolo 9: Le politiche per gli immigrati
Ambrosini M. 2020 Sociologia dell’immigrazione Capitolo VII: La regolazione dell’immigrazione.

Learning is assessed with the following:
- a written exam consisting of 5 open questions with a maximum of 20 lines to be answered in 60 minutes. Three questions aim to verify the knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the course contained in the reference readings and, through transversal questions to the topics addressed. Two questions aim to verify the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the presentation of two case studies (public policies) that the students will have to analyze by bringing out the usable policy tools, the indicators to be used when evaluating the output and 'outcome, the target group and the beneficiaries, the possible definitions of the problem. That's 85% of the rating.
- an exercise carried out at home which will be evaluated (worth 10%)
- participation in classroom discussions and carrying out the proposed exercises to be carried out at home and delivered via Moodle (5%)

The course is structured with frontal lessons (70%) which alternate moments of presentation of cases and examples and interactions in small groups with an assembly moment at the end of the small group discussion (30%).
Students are invited to actively participate in the exercises proposed in class and to carry out the exercises that are assigned to be carried out at home (and corrected in class).
The teaching materials of the course will be made available on the Moodle e-learning platform of the University. Timely registration for the course on the Moodle platform is recommended.

Italian

Both attending and non-attending students are reminded that it is essential to consult the Moodle page of the course, where lecture materials and readings related to each topic will be uploaded from time to time.

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