Calendar

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
1

Introduction

Knowledge in use: Problems and opportunities, overview of the course, participant interests.
2

Models of knowledge production and decision making

Rational policy/planning model, muddling through, deliberation, causal reasoning.
3

Agendas and the policy process

Agenda-setting and agenda-informing research, politics of the policy process, policy actors and messages.
4

Frames and persuasion

Sensemaking and storytelling with and without research, frame analysis, reframing. Case: Education reform.

Guest: Jal Mehta

 Problem statement for case paper due
5

Paradigms and fads

Focus: design and city form, "urban utopias."

Guest: Lawrence Vale
6

Diffusion of innovation

Creating and diffusing innovation, replication and mimicking.

Take-home midterm exam available
7

Case: Fighting ghetto poverty

The Moving to Opportunity (MTO) experiment, images of ghetto poverty and the poor.

Guest: Jeffrey Liebman

Midterm exam due
8

Case: Science in policy disputes

Guest: Lawrence Susskind
9

Action learning and practice

Theories of practice, action learning, communities of practice (knowledge networks).
10

The politics and use of evaluation research

Truth tests and utility tests, demonstration theory of social change.
11

Research writing for non-academic readers

The form and function of research briefs and related media (press releases, etc.)
12 Discussion of student briefs and case papers in progress. Research briefs due 48 hours before class, for peer and faculty review
13 Course review, discussion of case topics. Final case papers due