Fall 2005 Course Description
Advanced Topics in Public Policy
| Section Title: |
Public Policy of Brazil and the US: A Comparative Perspective |
| Instructor(s): |
Robert Wilson |
| Course: |
P A 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy
(previously Seminar in Topics in Public Policy) |
| Unique Number: |
64075 |
| Day & Time: |
Tuesdays, Thursdays, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Room: |
SRH 1.313 |
| Waitlist Information: | For LBJ Students: UT Waitlist Information
For Non LBJ Students: LBJ School Waitlist Instructions |
| Notes: |
Same as LAS 381-39525, URB 350-36380 and LAS 337M-39322 |
This course fulfills requirements for the following specialization(s):
Description: This course examines a range of public policies and policy processes of the United States (US) and Brazil in comparative perspective. It intends to highlight many interesting similarities as well as differences between the two countries. Brazil and the United States are continental size countries with large populations and pronounced regional differences. In the 1930s, the reach of the central state expanded in economic and social policy in the countries. Both Brazil and the US have federal forms of government and have sought to decentralize decision-making over a wide range of issues in the recent period. The role of the states vs. the federal government is a topic that both countries have confronted over time.
On the other hand, there are many salient differences between Brazil and the US that shape their respective public policies and policy making processes. For example, the executive in Brazil has a more dominant role in initiating legislation than in the US. The US has had a political system marked by greater continuity than in Brazil. This course will try to analyze how these and other differences have shaped public policy outcomes in the respective countries.
Students in this class will be eligible for applying to the Bilateral Consortium in Social Science and Public Policy (BCSP) for study in Brazil during the spring semester of 2006. Students are evaluated on a mid-term essay, a term paper and class participation.
Return to Fall 2005 Course Schedule
