Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module students should be able to:
1. appraise the literature on the formulation and implementation of social policies.
2. employ this literature in the analysis of Irish social policy formulation and implementation.
3. comprehend the key methodologies used to evaluate social policies
4. apply these research methodologies to the design of social policy evaluations.
5. critique the use of policy evaluation in Irish social policy making.
6. Critically analyse key texts and research on social policy making, implementation and evaluation.
7. work effectively as a group
8. Analyse policy data effectively in Excel
Indicative Module Content:
The opening lecture will introduce the module and to the policy cycle
This will be followed by a series or lectures organised around three core themes of the module. Three guest speakers with a policy practice background (e.g. civil servant, non-profit sector) will contextualise each theory block at the end.
Policy Making:
- introduction to theories of policy-making and the factors which influence policy design.
- Power Resources: Pluralism and Elitism
- Institutionalism
- Rational Choice Theory and Game Theory
- Networks
- Ideas and Knowledge Transfer
Policy Implementation
- introduction to policy implementation theory
- Top down theories of policy implementation
- Bottom up theories of policy implementation
- Incrementalism and Mixed-Scanning
Policy Evaluation
- Introduction and Ethics
- Evaluation Designs
- Impact evaluation
- Conducting and writing up evaluations.