Course Description
This course aims to get students thinking about politics and policy as a part of their everyday life. We treat politics as a struggle among competing advocates trying to persuade others to see the world as they do, working within a context that is structured primarily by institutions and cultural ideas. We’ll begin by …
This course aims to get students thinking about politics and policy as a part of their everyday life. We treat politics as a struggle among competing advocates trying to persuade others to see the world as they do, working within a context that is structured primarily by institutions and cultural ideas. We’ll begin by developing a policymaking framework, understanding ideology, and taking a whirlwind tour of the American political system. Then, we’ll examine six policy issues in depth: health care, gun control, the federal budget, immigration reform, same-sex marriage, and energy and climate change.
Course Info
Learning Resource Types
assignment_turned_in
Written Assignments with Examples
Instructor Insights
![A photograph of a piece of paper, with President Barack Obama's signature at the bottom and a stamp above it that reads "APPROVED MAR 23 2010."](/courses/11-002j-making-public-policy-fall-2014/7663dbec135528581aa255f8ee0a4106_11-002jf14.jpg)
President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. The bill, which reformed health care throughout the United States, provoked a highly partisan political battle during its passage through Congress. (Image is an Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy and is in the public domain.)