Public Policy in an Age of Uncertainty

Undergraduate / Graduate

Sudden events, such as elections, changing economic conditions or loss of funding, natural disasters, and war, can greatly affect or even cause an end to long-term policies and programs. New leaders may take steps to enact fresh policies with urgency, or external events may create the sudden need to shift direction. In other cases, to paraphrase Hemingway, change may come gradually and then all at once. This course will apply analytical frameworks, such as game theory, economic analysis, management and organizational theories, and legal frameworks, to evaluate and respond to the many aspects of such changes and their short-term and long-term effects. Through a combination of case discussions, interactive exercises, and assignments, students will learn how to anticipate and manage change to produce successful outcomes and even find opportunities to use change to pursue their policy goals.