Andrew A. Samwick, Director, Rockefeller Center
Faculty Academic Advisor: Ronald G. Shaiko
Research Associate K. L. Sifferd.
The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth coordinates the Minor in Public Policy, which is open to students from all majors who seek a coherent program of study in the field of public policy, broadly defined.
Drawing on faculty in the social sciences and interdisciplinary programs, the minor provides a variety of perspectives on policy questions, such as changes in values, institutions, technology or markets, and it enables students to pursue a focus on either domestic policy or international policy. In addition to fostering a general knowledge of the policy process, it includes a topical specialty that complements students’ course work in a major. Although the minor encourages students to enhance their analytic skills, it does not train them in the technical aspects of policy analysis. Rather, it is intended to foster a critical understanding of policy issues and solutions.
Students who wish to pursue the minor must officially sign up for it no later than the third term prior to graduation. Required courses taken for the minor may not count toward a student’s major or another minor. In addition to a prerequisite in statistics, students take six courses, as outlined below:
Prerequisite: One course employing mathematical reasoning or statistical methods. Options include: Social Science 10 or Sociology 15, Economics 10, Geography 10, Government 10, Mathematics and Social Science 15 or 45, Psychology 10. No other course is eligible for this requirement.
Requirements: A total of six courses, chosen from at least two different academic departments thus reflecting an interdisciplinary experience. The courses must include:
One (1) policymaking process course. Choices include:
Government 36
Sociology 23
Economics 2
History 19
Environmental Studies 3
Geography 16
Four (4) courses in a policy track (students may design their own policy track). Possible tracks include:
Domestic economics and public policy
Education and public policy
Environment and public policy
Gender and public policy
Health and public policy
International relations and public policy
Law and public policy
Techniques of policy analysis
Urban issues and public policy
One (1) seminar level course. Choices include:
Policy seminar developed for the Public Policy Minor.
Social Science seminar requiring a research paper relevant to the chosen policy track.
Independent research project relevant to the chosen policy track.
17. Rationality vs. Social Values: Bureaucratic and Organizational Behavior (Identical to Government 81.15, pending faculty approval)
06W: 10A
Dist: SOC. Kasfir.
81.2 Lawyers and Public Policy (Identical to Government 81.4)
05F, 06F: 10A
Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W. Bohmer.
81.3 Urban Politics and Policies: Transatlantic Perspectives (pending faculty approval)
06W: 10A
Over recent decades, urban politics and policies have been reinvented. Post-industrialism, globalization, ‘the third way’ and neo-liberalism have all contributed to transforming the ways in which cities are governed and planned. This course will examine these changes through considering contemporary urban government and recent urban policy initiatives in both the UK and USA. Specific issues to be discussed include: the role of urban government; inter-governmental dynamics; urban political cultures; metropolitan leadership; and urban renewal/regeneration. Davidson.
81.4 U.S. Broadcast and Electronic Journalism History (Identical to Film Studies 46, pending faculty approval)
06W: 2A
This course will survey the history of broadcast and electronic journalism in the United States, with a special attention to the development of and the changes to its fundamental relation to the public sphere. This will entail a historicized and contextualized understanding of the formats, aesthetics, economics, and industrial organization of these media, as well as a concentration on specific debates, events, and individuals that made a particular impact on this history. We intend to invite speakers who have worked in these industries or on these histories. The course is designed as a seminar, so students will be expected to contribute to and as necessary lead the discussion of the readings. Students will be required to write analytical papers, including a research paper. Williams.
81.5 Poverty, the New Economy, and Employment Policy (pending faculty approval)
06S: 10A
The most obvious solution to the problem of poverty is to give someone a job. More than four decades of employment programs have shown, however, that this is not as easy as it sounds. Recent changes in the economy (downsizing, globalization, technological change) make this situation even more challenging. This course examines the past and future of employment policies as poverty alleviation strategies. It brings together theories of poverty and employment, an analysis of current trends in the economy, and an overview of past and current employment programs. Hollister.
81.7 Secrecy and Lying in Politics, Law and Society (Identical to, and described under, Anthropology 16)
06X: 10A
Dist: SOC. Eickelman.
81.9 Politics and Markets (Identical to Government 83.2)
06F: 3A
Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W. Fowler.
83.2 Economics, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy (Identical to Government 85.14)
06S, 07S: 3A
Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W. S. Brooks.
88. Juveniles and the Law
05F: 10A
Juveniles have a different set of legal rights and responsibilities than adults. Traditionally, they enjoy more protection and less responsibility than adults under the law. This course will examine the nature and extent of this differential treatment, and explore whether US law is consistent in its treatment of juveniles. We will discuss topics such as: Why do we ‘protect’ juveniles from making the decision to possess cigarettes, alcohol and working over a certain amount of hours, and at the same time hold juveniles as young as fourteen responsible in adult court for their decision to commit a crime? What makes a person psychologically mature (and fully capable of ‘self determination’)? Do our laws reflect stages of psychological maturity? How much authority should parents have over their children? Should children have any absolute rights to make decisions independent of their parents? Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W. Sifferd.
90. Introduction to Public Policy Research
05F, 06F: 2A
This course focuses on strategies for, and actual practice of, conducting research relevant to public policy discussions. Students will learn: about policy issues, their drivers, and finding solutions; about the Legislative Process; and how to work collaboratively. Though open to all students satisfying the prerequisite, this course is designed to be a core element of the Public Policy Minor and will also serve as a training ground for prospective applicants wishing to serve in the Rockefeller Public Policy Research Shop during the winter and spring terms. Prerequisite: A course employing mathematical reasoning or statistical methods (e.g. Economics 10 or Government 10). Dist: SOC. Shaiko.