Spring 2011 - 62005 - PA388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy

History & Policy

Course Overview

Topics for these policy seminars have included environmental and natural resources policy, health-service delivery policy, social welfare policy, transportation policy, science and technology policy, international affairs, national security, urban and regional growth policy, and political campaigns.

Section Description

Historians typically shy away from policy, and policy schools (to say nothing of policymakers) are often blind to the power of historical insight to inform our understanding of the world we live in. This is unfortunate. This course will demonstrate how historical knowledge and historical skills can be used to better understand the policymaking process (with a focus on U.S. foreign and economic policy), and lead to more thoughtful discussion and debate about the pressing global challenges we face. Students will also learn basic historical skills, including how to use archival materials, and hear from other practicing historians and policymakers. Students will work together with primary sources to create their own historical research, with an eye towards understanding contemporary policy issues.