Policy analysis

Policy analysis

Essay: Problematizing the Problem

Format:Written assignment in Word format
Word count or equivalent: 1500 words
References: 13-15
Details
Essay Task:
1. Critically analyse a policy issue/problem of your choosing (note that you may choose to analyse the same issue that comprised the focus of your options paper, or another issue of interest to you) and identify multiple ways (at least two) in which your chosen policy issue may be conceptualised by policymakers (ie how they frame the issue)
2. Locate the policy issue in the context of a policy cycle approach (eg Bardarch, Kingdon, Hill). Consider whether positivists and post-positivists are likely to focus on different stages in the policy cycle (eg problem identification, policy analysis), and how this might influence analysis of your chosen policy issue
3. Provide a brief explanation of what you think is the most appropriate way of conceptualising, understanding and/or representing your policy issue/problem and why.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ??

Template

Title:?You may find it helpful to write the title as a question that you propose to address. This helps orient the reader. For example, ‘How is the problem of access to health care constructed in Indonesian policy’ or ‘What are the implications of defining illegal drug use as a public health issue, or as a criminal issue?’?

Introduction: This should give a very brief overview of the purpose of your essay. It is useful also to give a rationale for your essay ? why is it important to study this particular issue? And how will your essay add to existing knowledge? Also provide a very brief outline of?historical and other contextual information needed to understand the case in the context that you discuss it in. Be specific about your context (eg., which country/region/city? Economic, social & cultural contexts? Political context?)?(300 words)

Theoretical frameworks: This is where you discuss the different alternative frameworks that you can use to examine problematisation, and where these fit in the policy cycle (explain the policy cycle you are using). You also need to argue which frameworks are most useful for you in examining the problematisation you have chosen, and how you propose to use them (400 words).

Literature:?present a short review of literature on the issue, focusing in particular on how the problem you are discussing has been constructed in this literature. This literature review should ideally draw on both policy documents, and on academic critiques of policy (400 words).

Summary Findings: Draw on the information presented in your review of theoretical frameworks and the literature review in order to develop an argument on how your chosen problem might be problematised. Ideally, this should outline the advantages and disadvantages of both positivist and post-positivist approaches, and should discuss the points in the policy cycle where these advantages and disadvantages are most apparent. But you should also make an argument in favour of a particular problematisation (300 words)

Conclusion: This is not a summary. It should discuss two issues in particular ? weaknesses in the analysis (what it excludes) and proposals for further research (how other gaps in knowledge might be addressed ? these are things you can then pick up in final assignment for this topic). (100 words)

Essential readings.

1. Bardach, Eugene (2015) Practical guide for policy analysis: the eightfold path to more effective problem solving A, 4th edn, Sage, Los Angeles.
2. Bacchi, C (2012) ‘Why study problematizations? making politics visible’,?Open journal of political science, 2(1):1-8.
3. Bacchi, Carol Lee,?Analysing policy: what’s the problem represented to be?, 1st edn, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.
Chapter 1 ‘Introducing a ‘what’s the problem represented to be?’ approach to policy analysis’, pp. 1-24
4. Head, Brian W 2008, ‘Wicked problems in public policy’,?Public Policy, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 101-118.
5. Mor??l, G?ktu? 2001, ‘Positivist beliefs among policy professionals: an empirical investigation’,?Policy Sciences, vol. 34, no. 3-4, pp. 381-401.
6. Stewart, Jenny,?Public policy values, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.
Chapter 5 ‘Values and policy instruments’, pp. 87-107.

7. Thacher, David & Rein, Martin 2004, ‘Managing value conflict in public policy’,?Governance, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 457-486.
8. Atkinson, AB,?Social indicators : the EU and social inclusion, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Chapter 1 ‘Setting the scene’, pp. 1-18.
9. Ball, Stephen J 2003, ‘The teacher?s soul and the terrors of performativity’,?Journal of Education Policy, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 215-228.
10. Dilnot, Andrew 2012, ‘Numbers and public policy: the power of official statistics and statistical communication in public policymaking’,?Fiscal studies, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 429-448.
11. Rose, Nikolas 1991, ‘Governing by numbers: figuring out democracy’,?Accounting, Organizations and Society, vol. 16, no. 7, pp. 673-692.

By admin in Essays on October 28, 2016