Engaged Research/Engaged Publics: The Science + Craft of Applied Policy Research

Policy problems are complex. Policy analysis and design is both a science and a craft. Increasingly, policymakers have begun to acknowledge that effective policy research requires not only multiple methods of inquiry, but also interdisciplinary teams of social science researchers, citizens, designers, scientists, artists, consultants, and engineers, among other experts. Generating innovative policy solutions, from this approach, is not a straightforward, linear scientific process, but instead a creative, collaborative, and engaged activity that requires not only iterative and dynamic research methods, but also storytelling, design, and other creative processes. Pre Requisites: Substantive courses in public policy, urban studies, sociology, political science, and anthropology are also recommended, but not required.