Public policies are governmental activities addressing societal problems. Public policy making is therefore closely linked to the idea of problem-solving. This problem solving, however, is situated in a political setting shaped by divergent interests, power games and inherent uncertainty about the future. How public policies are designed and implemented is therefore shaped by the interaction of a variety of actors pursuing their specific interests. Policy analysis is about the link between politics and problem-solving (policy) in a given institutional context (polity).
This course introduces analytical perspectives – derived from the so-called policy cycle – to systematically discuss the process of policy making under these conditions. A particular emphasis is put on the challenge of institutional change for policy-maker, exemplified in the example of welfare state changes. We will discuss in detail why institutional change is likely to be politically costly for policy-makers and what strategies these actors have at their disposal to avoid such costs and overcome the status-quo bias of existing institutions.
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