| 1 |
Introduction
Overview of the course — the faculty, objectives, format, and requirements. First lectures: Knowledge use in theory and practice, perspectives from inside and outside academia. (PDF)
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| 2 |
Models of knowledge production and decision-making
The rational policy/planning model, muddling through, deliberation and social learning.
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| 3 |
Agendas and the policy process
The importance of agenda-setting and other "pre-decision" processes in policymaking. The Kingdon model and its critics; the role of narrative.
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| 4 |
Frames and persuasion
Storytelling, metaphor, and frames. Alignment among frames, institutional context, and policy and political streams. (PDF)
Guest: Jal Mehta, Harvard Graduate School of Education
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| 5 |
Paradigms and fads
Design and urban form, urban utopias, popular culture and the Good City. (PDF)
Guest: Lawrence Vale, MIT
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| 6 |
Diffusion of innovation
Creating and diffusing innovation, "structured" diffusion, replication and mimicking. (PDF)
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| 7 |
Case of anti-poverty policy and research
The Moving to Opportunity experiment as a social policy case, political and fiscal context, images of ghetto poverty, the Hurricane Katrina media effect. (PDF)
Guest: Jeffrey Liebman, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
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| 8 |
Science in environmental policy disputes
Science-intensive disputes, "experts for hire", joint fact finding.
Guest: Lawrence Susskind, MIT and the Consensus Building Institute
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| 9 |
Action learning and practice
Action learning, embedded or "social" learning, theories of practice, communities of practice (knowledge networks). (PDF)
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| 10 |
The politics and use of evaluation research
Truth tests and utility tests, demonstration theory of social change, media and public consumption. (PDF)
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| 11 |
Research writing for non-academic readers
Research briefs, communication channels, writing support, editing styles. (PDF)
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| 12 |
Student briefs and knowledge-in-use cases. |
| 13 |
Course review. |