The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated how life can be disrupted but also how the consequences are suffered disproportionately by those already disadvantaged by prejudice and unequal opportunity. The world's biggest problems are looking for new organizational and operational models that combine the advantages of business, government, and NGOs and can deliver effective responses to formidable issues across global society. This course looks beyond entrepreneurship in profit motivated industries such as technology and financial services to the more complicated challenge of achieving social and policy objectives through entrepreneurial action.

An exploration of the potential consequences of human-induced climate change and their implications for policy responses, focusing on risks to people, societies, and ecosystems. As one example: we examine the risk to coastal cities from sea level rise, and measures being planned and implemented to enable adaptation. In addition, we explore local, national and international policy initiatives to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The course assumes students have a basic background in the causes of human-induced climate change and the physical science of the climate system.

This required course for GHP students focuses on the distribution and determinants of disease. Diverse methodological approaches for measuring health status, disease occurrence, and the association between risk factors and health outcomes will be presented via classic and contemporary studies of chronic and infectious illness. The core underlying ecological and evolutionary drivers of human health will be introduced. Emphasis on: causal inference, study design and sampling, bias and confounding, the generalizability of research, infectious disease dynamics, health policy and global health.

Why do some countries fight wars while others are peaceful? Are nuclear weapons a source of stability or instability? What explains the current trade war with China? This course will provide a theoretical framework to help students better answer these questions, as well as other questions central to the study of international conflict and cooperation. Broad topics will include the causes of war and peace, the sources of transnational terrorism, the logic behind modern-day trade wars, the politics of international monetary policy, the systemic challenges to combating global warming, and the promise and peril of foreign aid.

Would universal health insurance improve the health of the poor? Do patterns of arrests in US cities show evidence of racial profiling? What accounts for who votes and their choice of candidates? This course will teach students how to address these and other social science questions by analyzing quantitative data. The course introduces basic principles of statistical inference and programming skills for data analysis. The goal is to provide students with the foundation necessary to analyze data in their own research and to become critical consumers of statistical claims made in the news media, in policy reports, and in academic research.

This course will focus on the state's role in promoting economic growth and distribution in the developing world. The core organizing question for the course is: why have some regions of the developing world been more successful at industrialization and/or poverty alleviation than other regions. The students will learn about the patterns of development in Asia, Africa and Latin America, with special attention to such countries as China, India, South Korea, Nigeria and Brazil. General challenges that face all developing countries - globalization, establishing democracy and ethnic fragmentation - will also be analyzed.

This course provides an overview of China's political system. We will begin with a brief historical overview of China's political development from 1949 to the present. The remainder of the course will examine the key challenges facing the current generation of CCP leadership, focusing on prospects for democratization and political reform. Among other topics, we will examine: factionalism and political purges; corruption; avenues for political participation; village elections; public opinion; protest movements and dissidents; co-optation of the business class; and media and internet control.

International order encompasses the governing arrangements that organize relations among states, including the fundamental rules, principles, and institutions of the international system. This course draws on a wide range of readings in International Relations theory as well as diplomatic and global history to consider plausible accounts of the emergence, development, and decline of international orders across human history. The course will review prominent theories of international order, explore crucial junctures of order formation and decline, and consider the sociology and causal mechanics of pivotal institutions of international order.

This seminar provides a broad introduction to qualitative research design and analysis techniques. Topics include case selection, variants of process tracing, small-n comparative case design, comparative-historical analysis, the design and implementation of field research, in-depth interviewing, and archival research. The emphasis is on application of these skills to students' own work, as well as engaging critically with qualitative work across the subfields.

This seminar provides an overview of contemporary Chinese society. Chinese society is best understood through a number of different intrinsically-linked and mutually-interdependent aspects. For this reason, we will explore its history, cultural practices, government, economy, and family structure.

The course is an introduction to probability and statistical methods for social science research focused on public policy. Topics include data analysis, descriptive statistics, distributions, random variables, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, bivariate regression, and multiple regression. Examples will be discussed from tax, health, environment, energy, education, security, law, and other policy areas. Students will be introduced to the statistical software R. (No prior experience with statistics, programing or calculus is required)

Microeconomics is the study of how the economy works as a result of myriad decisions by individual agents (households, firms) in interaction among themselves and with public authorities. This course, taught at the intermediate level, starts from understanding how markets work. It then moves to considering the appropriateness of government interventions in functioning markets. The second half of the course is devoted to understanding market failures, government interventions to rectify those failures and the evaluation of those interventions.

This course examines the causes and consequences of international trade. We investigate why nations trade, what goods they export and import, and who gains and loses from trade. We then focus on economic and political motives for countries to regulate international trade and examine the economic effects of effective trade policies. Topics will include the connection between globalization and wage inequality, the effects of the "China Shock" on the U.S. economy and politics, the implications of global value chains, the motivation for trade agreements, and the consequences of recent events such as the US-China Trade War, BREXIT, and COVID-19.

The standard model used in economics is that of perfectly rational agents endowed with unlimited cognitive resources. However, there are many cases in which human behavior systematically differ from this benchmark. The goal of this class is to discuss these cases: when do they tend to occur, what form do they take, how to model them. We will discuss how people relate to the presence of risk, intertemporal choice, fairness, complexity, etc. For each topic, we will discuss the empirical evidence and leading models. Overall, this class will offer an introduction to one of the most exciting areas of research in economics.

Grand strategy is the broad and encompassing policies and undertakings that political leaders pursue- financial, economic, military, diplomatic- to achieve their objectives in peacetime and in war. This course will examine the theory and practice of grand strategy both to illuminate how relations among city-states, empires, kingdoms and nation states have evolved over the centuries and also to identify some common challenges that have confronted all who seek to make and execute grand strategy from Pericles to Barack Obama.

Disruption across the globe has placed U.S. diplomacy in the spotlight What are the secrets to the art of diplomacy at the highest levels? What have been the great successes and failures of American statecraft? What is the proper role of the U.S. in the world today?

Since the end of World War II the developing world has experienced numerous violent conflicts. These conflicts often pit government and allied forces against those of relatively small armed groups, called "insurgents." This course will explore the roots of insurgency, the organization and tactics of insurgent groups (including the use of terrorism), counterinsurgency campaigns, and efforts at conflict resolution. It will focus on the conditions under which insurgents are most likely to prevail in their fight against better-resourced armed forces.

This course will familiarize students with the practical aspects of policy formulation and implementation that pertain to issues in the Middle East. The primary focus will be on the challenges associated with improving governance at the national and sectoral levels. It will also examine effective national strategies for capacity-building, rehabilitation, and economic development, particularly in the oil-exporting countries in the region.

This course emphasizes the lessons for policy makers from comparative political economy, emphasizing the interaction between political institutions and economic goals, the better to understand the reasons for the differences among countries' levels of economic and political development, and to analyze the factors that foster or hinder effective policy making. The class is compatible with the political economy track in the politics department.

This course will examine how institutions develop, vary in design, and shape public policy. Law will be a primary focus because it is central to the development of institutions in modern societies and provides the formal means for expressing and fixing policy. The course will cover a wide range of institutions- social, economic, and political- not only in an American context but also in comparative perspective.

The recent police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Daniel Prude and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests have elevated the conversations of racism, police violence, and the rise of mass incarceration in the United States. The United States has the world's highest rate of police violence as well as the world's highest rate of incarceration. This seminar will study the history and role of policing in the United States, and introduce students to current issues surrounding policing practices as they intersect with constitutional rights, racial justice, and the rise of mass incarceration in the United States.

This course examines the dynamics of the Black American political experience in the U.S. The focus will be on Black Americans as actors, creators and initiators in the political process. Beginning with an exploration of the historical antecedents of blackness in America, this course will explore how the Black experience in America has shaped the American political system and how black Americans have come to understand their position within the American Political system. The course is intended to be an introduction to the Black political experience.

It is the goal of this survey course to equip students with the knowledge needed to form their own opinions on questions of internet policy by introducing them to the theoretical and philosophical arguments that underlie some of the most pressing policy issues today. The class is organized around five main topics: "the wisdom of the multitude" (Jeremy Waldron), civil disobedience, privacy, surveillance, and freedom of speech. Two sessions are devoted to each topic, with the first session offering the philosophical and historical context for the second session, which is devoted to the relevant laws, policy, and academic literature.

Prejudice is one of the most contentious topics in modern American society. There is debate regarding its causes, pervasiveness, and impact. This goal of this course is to familiarize students with the psychological research relevant to these questions. We will review theoretical perspectives on prejudice to develop an understanding of its cognitive, affective, and motivational underpinnings. We will also discuss how these psychological biases relate to evaluations of, and behavior toward, members of targeted groups. In addition, research-based strategies for reducing prejudice will be discussed.

This course provides students with a basic technical understanding of the science and technology relevant to current and emerging national and global security issues. Topics covered in this course include nuclear weapons, biotechnology and biosecurity, delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction, cyberwarfare, global surveillance, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence. In the second half of the semester, students work in small teams on in-depth case studies exploring a current or emerging global-security issue of their choice and combining both technical and policy analysis.

The course examines broad scientific, social, political, and philosophical problems raised at the intersection of genetics and public policy, including the echo of eugenics in gene therapy and gene enhancement; the ways in which genetic disease plays out in different cultural settings and shapes conceptions of the self and race; genetic applications and practices n the criminal justice system; genetically modified agricultural products; commercial genetic testing; the patenting of genes; and policies regulating genetic research that is deemed to be potentially dangerous. Readings from the academic literature, as well as popular media.

The Affordable Care Act, enacted by President Obama in 2010, is an unprecedented federal-state initiative, with provisions to expand health insurance coverage, control health care costs, and improve the health care delivery system. This course will focus on the history of health reform, as well as the implementation challenges since its enactment. We will examine the federal regulatory process, the role that states are playing in implementation, legal challenges to the statute, and Congressional oversight.

This course will explore the relationship between social movements and legal/policy reforms and critically assess the scope and limits of the 1960s-era civil rights laws through an examination of the following legal and policy issues that Black Lives Matter activists have pushed to the center stage of local and national policy debates: policing; mass incarceration; the role of prosecutors; protests and surveillance; labor, work, and wealth; education reform and school discipline; health care reform and access; housing and environmental conditions; and voting rights.

In policy seminars students work in groups first formulating the general problem, then engaging in individual research on subtopics, and finally presenting their inferences for discussion and debate and producing a collective policy report.

The junior policy research seminar serves to introduce departmental majors to the tools, methods, and interpretations employed in policy research and writing. Students may choose from a range of topics.

India's post-independence journey is a lens to study fundamental questions of economic development and political economy. Despite attempts at big-push industrialization, followed by economic liberalization in the 1990's, the country struggled to create jobs and provide public goods at par with rapid population growth. Extreme economic inequality is now only one concern amidst environmental degradation, gender-based violence, and a Hindu-nationalist political agenda. When, and how, will India achieve sustainable development? The seminar will draw on scholarly works and Indian cinema for a well-rounded economic, social and political commentary.

This course is limited to students participating in the Scholars in the Nation's Service Initiative (SINSI), the Richard H. Ullman Fellowship, or an approved MPA middle year out. Enrolled students participate in one or more internships with a federal, state, or local government agency, non-governmental organization, or multilateral institution in the U.S. or overseas. The purpose is to provide a learning environment for students to use/develop quantitative and qualitative analytical skills in an active public policy setting, with oversight from Princeton University faculty and staff.

Basic concepts and experimental findings of psychology that contribute to an understanding of the effects of policy on human behavior and well-being. Also covered are psychological factors that affect the formulation, communication, and execution of policy. Topics include a descriptive analysis of boundedly rational judgment and decision making, a consideration of social motives and attitudes, and an introduction to the ways in which agents influence and negotiate with one another.

This course has been designed to introduce graduate students in public and international affairs to certain principals and analytic tools widely used in the financial management of organizations, be they privately or publicly owned. The course is based on the premise that future civil servants should be familiar with this subject matter, either because they may be involved in the financial management of public agencies, or negotiate financial contracts with the private sector, or regulate financial management in the private sector.

Provides hands-on experience in the application of econometric methods to policy issues. Various aspects of empirical research in economics are covered including 1) development of testable hypotheses, 2) appropriate use of data, 3) specification and estimation of econometric models. The course is taught using a set of cases in which students apply quantitative methods covered in SPI 507b to data in order to answer specific policy questions. Emphasis is placed on interpreting and writing about results.

Provides a thorough examination of statistical methods employed in public policy analysis, with a particular emphasis on regression methods which are frequently employed in research across the social sciences. Emphasizes intuitive understanding of the central concepts, and develops in students the ability to choose and employ the appropriate tool for a particular research problem, and understand the limitations of the techniques. Prerequisite: 507b.

The main tools of econometric analysis and the way in which they are applied to a range of problems in social science. The emphasis is on using techniques and understanding and critically assessing others' use of them. There is a great deal of practical work on the computer using a range of data from around the world. Topics include regression analysis, with a focus on regression as a tool for analyzing nonexperimental data and discrete choice. An introduction to time-series analysis is given. There are applications from macroeconomics, policy evaluation, and economic development.

Covers the theory of modern macroeconomics in detail. Focus is on the determination of macroeconomic variables - such as output, employment, prices, and the interest rate - in the short, medium, and long run, and addresses a number of policy issues. Discusses several examples of macroeconomic phenomena in the real world. A central theme is to understand the powers and limitations of macroeconomic policy in stabilizing the business cycle and promoting growth.

This course offers a broad treatment of macroeconomic theory and policy issues, using the formal methods of modern macroeconomics. Topics include long-run growth and development, labor, consumption, savings and investment decisions, the role of expectations, short-run fluctuations and stabilization policy, inflation and unemployment, trade and exchange rates. The course is advanced, so that: (i) having had some introductory course in macroeconomics is a prerequisite, and an intermediate level one is best; (ii) the course requires a solid command of microeconomic theory (511 c or d) and good comfort with algebra and calculus.

This course introduces students to evaluation. It explores ways to develop and implement research-based program improvement strategies and program accountability systems; to judge the effects of policies and programs; and to assess the benefits and costs of policy or program changes. Students study a wide range of evaluation tools; read and discuss both domestic and international evaluation examples and apply this knowledge by designing several different types of evaluations on programs of their choosing.

Employs methods of microeconomics, industrial organization and law and economics to study circumstances where market failures warrant government intervention with policies implemented through the law or regulatory agencies. Topics include antitrust policy toward business practices and vertical and horizontal combinations; policy approaches toward R&D and intellectual property; reliance on tort law, disclosure law, and regulatory standards to mitigate information and externality problems pertaining to health, safety, and performance risks; and the implications for pricing, entry, and investment of different forms of public utility regulation.

This course is about the economics and some of the politics of central banking, especially monetary policy. Special emphasis is given to central banks as unique policymaking institutions and, especially, to the Federal Reserve System, although other central banks are mentioned frequently. Since the focus is on monetary policy, the course presupposes a working knowledge of the relevant macroeconomics, but particular aspects thereof are taught in the course. Attention is paid to the causes, consequences, and central bank behavior during and since the recent financial crisis.

This course assesses and analyzes the impact of the descriptive representation of marginalized communities on public policy, legislation, legal reform and social change. We focus on dimensions of sexual orientation, identity, gender, ethnicity and race, and the intersectionality of these communities. We seek to understand the role that elected officials can have in driving change, affecting their colleagues and constituents. We consider internal tensions and conflicts between marginalized groups, as well as coalitions and allied movements.

This course begins with an exploration into southern Appalachia as a case study that: 1) provides insights on a cultural divide within the United States which impacts national and international politics and policies; and 2) represents a conservative, poor, isolationist, nationalist movement that is replicated in many other places in the world. This course strengthens skills in conflict analysis, creating open discussions, talking to people with whom you disagree, brainstorming to find common solutions, project design, and negotiation. The second part of the course includes applying these skills to independent projects.

A brilliant policy that suffers from poor leadership or bad management is likely to result in failure. This course is about best practices in leading and managing governmental and not-for-profit organizations in industrialized democratic societies. We assume that the policy problem has been solved and will focus on the non-policy aspects of being a leader and manager. This is a case study course. The goal is to place you in the position of a senior leader-a decision maker-so that you can experience these challenges, as much as possible, in the way actual leaders experienced them.

Prejudice is one of the most contentious topics in modern American society. There is debate regarding its causes, pervasiveness, and impact. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the psychological research relevant to these questions. We review theoretical perspectives on prejudice to develop an understanding of its cognitive, affective, and motivational underpinnings. We also discuss how these psychological biases relate to evaluations of, and behavior toward, members of targeted groups. In addition, research-based strategies for reducing prejudice are discussed.

This seminar provides a survey of trends in U.S. poverty and how public policy has responded over time. Examines the range of benefits and services that comprise the social safety net, including refundable tax credits, housing subsidies, nutrition programs, cash assistance, and Social Security benefits. Also reviews past and current debates over the effectiveness of these programs, with a particular focus on welfare reform. Assignments are designed to provide students with practical experience in how to present ideas to policymakers and a broader public audience.

This course will explore a range of issues affecting America's homeless populations. Using various lenses on the problem and the multiple policy domains engaged by it, students will be exposed to an extraordinarily complex challenge facing numerous American and global urban centers. Using a mix of lectures, discussion and meetings with leading practitioners in the field, the course aims to offer students a broad exposure to the policy challenges facing leaders of state and local governments. The premise of the course is that the policy solutions to this challenge are not evident to practitioners in the field.

This class aims to explore transnational issues in policing. Drawing heavily upon anthropological methods and theory, we aim neither to vindicate nor contest the police's right to use force (whether a particular instance was a violation of law), but instead, to contribute to the understanding of force (its forms, justifications, interpretations). The innovative transnational approach to policing developed during the semester allows for a cross-cultural comparative analysis that explores larger rubrics of policing in a comprehensive social scientific framework.

This course thinks about how to look at public questions through a values-based framework. Drawing from a broad range of readings, we consider what defines "moral" leadership, when a "leader" should act contrary to the will of the people, what to do if the law and justice are in conflict, how to weigh individual rights against the needs of the community, and more. This course is based on a seminar series Professor (and former Congressman) Edwards has taught for many elected officials including governors, members of Congress and Cabinet, mayors, state officials, and presidential candidates.

This is a course in urban and regional economics. We study the main economic forces that lead to the emergence of cities and regional agglomeration, and the effects on worker productivity, urban amenities, and congestion. We discuss the problems in measuring these urban characteristics, the methodologies to do it, as well as the design of optimal urban policy. We also study the economic theory and evidence on the internal structure of cities, as well as the policies that can enhance urban living. Finally, the course analyzes the role cities play in aggregate economic development.

This course provides an overview of the major questions and debates surrounding politics and public policy in US cities. The course begins by examining the historical evolution and key institutions of cities. This background provides the context for studying how cities are governed and who (or what) determines municipal public policy. The course explores the salience of race, ethnicity, and inequality in American cities and touches on political participation, as well as the growth of metropolitan areas. Course readings and discussion cover a range of municipal public policy domains, including fiscal policy, policing, and growth policies.

This course examines the histories, processes and nuanced dynamics that contribute to the making of cities in the Global South. We explore central debates in the study of these cities across geography, urban studies and planning, and development studies. Students deepen their understanding of the Global South, how it is conceptualized and what this means for urban development, while identifying patterns and specificities across the comparative contexts of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Ultimately, we consider how these actors are, or should be considered, in policymaking and planning interventions in the Global South.

This course examines the roles of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in international security historically, at present, and in possible futures. The technical basis for these weapons will be presented at a level suitable for the non-scientist, and the challenges of state and non-state acquisition or development will be assessed. Topics to be examined include deterrence, defense, preemption, arms control, nonproliferation, and plausible terrorist capabilities.

Analyzes and compares national security strategies, military doctrine, alliance policies, and foreign economic policy. Examines how international structure, domestic politics, leadership psychology, etc. contribute to policy outcomes. Studies how strategies act as stabilizing or destabilizing influences in the international system. Topics include great power strategies before the two World Wars, American Cold War containment strategy, China's Cold War strategies, and factors for stability and instability since the end of the Cold War.

Examine ways in which international and regional financial and development institutions may be deployed as agents of change in the quest for democracy in the Arab world. A primary focus of this course is on (a) formulating the reform agendas in a manner that not only serves the immediate objective of improving governance, but seeks to do so while simultaneously promoting democratic principles and practices, and (b) facilitating the adoption of such agendas by taking advantage of the centrality of the promotion of good governance and reform to the purview of key international and regional financial and development institutions.

This course studies British and American influence on Asia, Africa, the Middle-East and Latin America over time. Our focus is both on formal empire (colonialism) and on informal empire (significant influence, without territorial control). The course is organized around the professor's book, Imperialism and the Developing World: How Britain and the United States Shaped the Global Periphery. The aim of the course is to: a) introduce students to the debates on the causes and consequences of imperialism; b) analyze specific cases of imperialism; and c) enable students to pursue a specific topic of interest.

This course looks at human rights as a public policy issue. It considers debates over the definition of human rights; the possibilities and limits of humanitarian intervention; the ability of human rights activists and international actors to undermine dictatorial governments; and the impact of the laws of war. We consider historical and contemporary cases around the world, including the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, Bosnia, China, and more.

Introduction to the processes of economic growth and development. The course examines various theories of development; poverty and inequality measurement; and the role of markets for credit, labor and land, as well as education and health, in development. The role of public policy is considered within each of these topics. The course may also cover topics such as foreign aid, commodity pricing, and tax policy.

This course asks: What are the political, ethical, and historical bases for making these decisions about citizenship, borders, and in/exclusion? These questions are particularly salient in the context of globalization, migration and refugee flows, war and ethnic conflict, poverty, and now climate change. This course strikes a balance between analyzing theory, empirics, and policy debates.

The course focuses on the "micro" level, not on broad principles of aid effectiveness or unified theories of political development, although it intersects both. It asks you to place yourselves in the shoes of the reformer (think Seretse Khama, Lee Kuan Yew, or Sri Mulyani Indrawati, for example). You have a limited opportunity to build a new institutional order and improve the provision of public goods. How can you get around the challenges that inevitably arise? Is there a way to lock in these changes and help new institutions endure? At the end of the course we return to "big theory" and the task of drawing broader insight.

Why do severe recessions happen? Could we have prevented the Great Recession and its consequences? And what actions are needed to prevent such crises going forward? We undertake an empirical exploration of these questions in this course and debate the various macro and financial policy questions that arise. Our discussions are strictly disciplined by data and evidence. The course analyzes the role of debt in generating the Great Recession and the Great Depression, as well as the current economic malaise in Europe.

Examines international law and governance in the context of environmental problems. Considers the need for regulation under conditions of scientific uncertainty in issues such as climate change, bovine growth hormones, GMOs, fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and ozone depletion. Explores the efficacy of diverse regulatory approaches, mechanisms for scientific advice to policymakers and participation by business firms and NGOs. Considers intersections between environmental regulation (both domestic and international) with trade, investment, and multilateral development and aid programs.

Policy preferences, differential rates of political participation, voting behavior, the legislative process, political communication, urban politics and the role of race in American political life are central to the study of inequality in politics. Although the American case features prominently, we approach these issues from a comparative perspective. The course provides introduction to comparative study of welfare states and political economy of advanced industrial countries, including regulation of labor markets and relationship between wage inequality, income distribution and policy preferences for redistribution and social protection.

This segment of the JDP seminar covers theory and research on social stratification, the major subfield in sociology that focuses on inequality. Course begins by reviewing major theories, constructs, measures, and empirical work on inequality. Weeks two through six focus on institutions that are expected to produce (and reproduce) inequalities, including families, neighborhoods, schools, labor markets, and penal policy.

In the second half of 2011, the crisis in the Eurozone threatened to run out of control. This course discusses four themes: 1) the critiques of the concept of the Eurozone prior to January 1999; 2) why the Eurozone appeared a major success at its 10th anniversary, which coincided with the beginning of the global economic crisis; 3) the interconnected nature of the crisis, weak sovereigns, weak banks, and weak growth prospects; and 4) the domestic and multilateral measures to deal with the crisis. The course also considers the future of the Eurozone.

China has lifted 600 million people out of poverty in the past 30 years. This achievement has lead observers within and outside China to trumpet the virtues of the so-called "China Model" as an alternative path of development. The course provides an overview of China's political and economic development in the post-Mao era. Core topics include: state-intervention in the economy, corruption and political accountability, and authoritarian political institutions.

This course covers how the Federal budget process is supposed to work and how it actually does work. Topics include: (1) institutions, processes, and definitions; (2) history of budget outcomes; (3) the current state of the Federal budget process; (4) the role of uncertainty in budgeting; (4) the role of politics in budgeting; and (5) the budget's short- and long-term fiscal consequences.

This course evaluates fiscal policies that governments will likely consider in the 21st century. The course focuses on assessing likely policy responses: taxing capital and top-income earners, the safety net and redistribution, and place-based policies that aim to address spatial disparities in opportunity. The goal is to have a principled discussion about the potential market failures operating in these settings, to critique the current methods of government intervention, and to discuss the pros and cons of alternative policies.

This course explores several policy areas and focuses on applied economic and empirical methods to show how economists combine theory and data to evaluate such policies. The goal is to provide students with methods and practical examples of how these policies are evaluated in agencies such as the Congressional Budget Office, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the US Treasury, and state- and municipal-level economic development agencies. We evaluate the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, health insurance reforms, local economic development policies, raising top taxes, and social security reforms.

This seminar explores supply-side approaches to addressing this pervasive housing crisis. We examine critically the current policies, challenges, and practice of developing new, income-restricted affordable housing, both single-family and multi-family, for sale and rental, in the United States. We assess the impacts of building affordable housing on residents and communities, including issues of race and class. We conclude by discussing student papers and assessing likely and desirable alternative future affordable housing policies.

An introduction to the policies and practices associated with conducting elections in fragile states and develop an understanding of their impacts on electoral outcomes. In fragile political and security environments, electoral policy and practice take on an enhanced importance because of the consequences of state failure which could result from a flawed election. Focuses on: Role of International Community; Election Management Bodies; Electoral & Party Systems; Marginalized Electorates, Victims and Spoilers; Electoral Conflict, Security, & Justice; Electoral Observation & Evaluation.

Two major areas of psychology contribute to the study of social policy and inequality. The first is social psychology, which focuses on inter-group relations, interpersonal perception, stereotyping, racism, aggression, justice and fairness. The second domain involves the fields of social-cognition, judgment and decision making, areas of research that study human information processing in a way that is not about individual differences, and often not social.

This course uses the lens of reproductive justice to examine policy and politics around reproduction and family formation in the United States. The course explores the social, historical and cultural forces that shape reproduction, focusing on how inequalities based on gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity, class, and citizenship structure and influence reproductive opportunities and experiences. Topics include contraception and abortion, childbirth and maternity care, adoption and family policy, reproductive technology, eugenics, the maternal mortality crisis, and the role of law, medicine and activism in shaping contemporary reproduction.

This course addressed state and local regulation of public health and health care. It explores the opportunities and limits of government intervention to promote health and address health care deficits, with case examples drawn from New York City, New Jersey and other cities and states. Topics include controversies surrounding efforts to address obesity and other chronic illnesses, regulation of reproductive health services, policies to reduce gun violence, and the opioid crisis. The course combines in-depth readings, discussion, lectures, and a written assignment.

This course examines the principles of negotiation and provide firsthand experience in simulated negotiations. Sample topics include distributive negotiation, integrative negotiation ("expanding the pie"), conflict management, and coalitions. Research on the variables that affect success in negotiations are discussed. Students engage in a series of bargaining exercises between individuals and teams, and results are analyzed by the class.

Course covers theory and research on social stratification, the major subfield in sociology that focuses on inequality. We begin by reviewing major theories, constructs, and empirical work on inequality. Weeks 2 -6 focus on institutions that mediate the transmission and reproduction of inequality, including families, schools, neighborhoods, labor markets, and the criminal justice system.

This course examines the challenges of managing crises in large organizations. By using real world case studies as well as exploring the literature in the field, students gain familiarity with critical tools needed by leaders confronted with handling events that are beyond the normal capacity of an enterprise to manage.

America's founding principles of equality conflict with its record on civil rights. No more is this the case than the issue of race in American politics. This course brings together a wide range of scholarship about race and democracy to encourage thinking about equity and fairness across public systems, in policy making, and why it matters. Specific attention is given to how these racial dynamics are articulated in terms of public opinion and political behavior, with some consideration of racial equity tools and culturally responsive evaluation.

This seminar examines the politics and political economy of inequality and the welfare state, focusing on the institutions and policies of the advanced industrial economies. Why has inequality risen faster in some countries than in others? What is the relationship between equality, redistribution, and economic growth? And what are the social and economic consequences of inequality on policy preferences. We review simple models of policy choice by self-interested voters in a purely majoritarian setting. We also explore the role of different economic and political institutions such as firms, unions, parties, and electoral systems.

This course covers ethical, legal, and normative debates surrounding content moderation and governance on social platforms. Topics include legal foundations such as CDA Section 230/"platform immunity"; the role of algorithms and curation in ranking content; the promise of labeling, fact-checking, and other interventions designed to counter misinformation; and case studies, such as Facebook's Oversight Board. Students debate hypothetical solutions and write policy briefs.

International comparative & historical overview of concepts of mental illness and well-being. Evolution of diagnostic criteria for mental illnesses. History of psychiatry and psychoanalysis and the influence of neuroscience. Neurobiology of depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, & addiction. Public perceptions of mental illness and their implications for policies pertaining to treatment & prevention programs: cross-national comparisons. August Gorman is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Values and Public Policy, co-affiliated with PSPIA's Center for Health and Wellbeing and the University Center for Human Values.

This course explores three questions in the economics of education: What are the economic returns to education? How do people's valuations of education relate to economists' measures of returns? how are individuals' choices and educational outcomes mediated by information? We pay special attention to higher education policy and to choice-based reforms in K-12 education. Do these reforms 'work?' If not, why not? Topics include signaling and human capital theories, valuation of school quality, charter/magnet schools, and informational and financial frictions in higher education.

What is the relationship between the media, politics, and public policymaking? We examine the media as a proactive and reactive force in American politics. What constitutes `the media' and how has it changed over time? How does it influence politics and government? How do government and politics influence it? Students become familiar with topics, theories, and methods in the study of political communication, including agenda-setting, US political rhetoric, strategic messaging, public opinion, political advertising, the role of TV, technology, and celebrity in our political system.

Even though numerous influential reports call for earlier and better integration of behavioral science theory and insights into the policy process, the reality is that disciplines other than economics and the law have had little or no influence on the design or implementation of environmental or technology policy. We review reasons and consequences for this failure and examine paths towards better future integration.

Designed to improve students' skill, confidence and judgment in use of science in policy applications. Using case studies, real-world examples, and in-class exercises, in the areas of atmospheric and energy policy, the emphasis is on preparing both non-scientists and scientists to use, understand, and critique science in environmental policy applications. Exercises are scaled to the student's background.

In this half-term course we study the legal frameworks pertaining to data privacy in the US and the EU and their interaction, we critically examine the policy behind it and we engage in readings (including relevant case law) and discussions surrounding the current topics like e-privacy, government and private surveillance, privacy and media, anonymization and identification or targeted advertising.

Vaccination is one of the most powerful tools in global health. However, vaccines are arguably much less deployed than they should be, due to a combination of economic and biological constraints, as well as the rising trend of vaccine hesitancy Here, we review the biology of vaccines and their impact on infectious disease dynamics, focusing especially on the key concept of herd (community) immunity. We then use case studies to discuss the successes and limitations of vaccination against human diseases, drawing general implications about their optimal future deployment.

This course combines a traditional public health course in epidemiology with a policy-oriented course on population health. Conventional topics include measurement of health and survival and impact of associated risk factors; techniques for design, analysis of epidemiologic studies; sources of bias and confounding; and causal inference. We also examine: models of infectious disease with an emphasis on COVID-19, inference and decision making based on large numbers of studies and contradictory information, the science underlying screening procedures, social inequalities in health, and ethical issues in medical research.

This course will examine different crises confronting cities in the 21st century. Topics will range from informal settlements, to immigration, terrorism, shrinking population, sprawl, rising seas, affordable housing, gentrification, smart cities. The range of cities will include Los Angles, New Orleans, Paris, Logos, Caracas, Havana, New York, Hong Kong, Dubai among others.