This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of public policy in the modern world. Students will explore the processes of policy development, implementation, and analysis across various sectors such as health, education, environment, and social welfare. Through case studies and practical examples, the course examines the role of government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders in shaping policy outcomes.

This course will analyze the evolution of urban theory and cover the main theorists who have shaped its development. Urban theoretical approaches will be used to explain the actions and policies of American cities towards their own development. This course examines the political dynamics and governance structures shaping modern American cities, focusing on how power, policy, and social issues intersect in urban environments. Additionally, this course highlights the role of American Political economy in shaping the urban structure of cities.

This course provides in-depth examination of the legislative and regulatory processes that shape public policy in modern governance. The course will cover the procedures whereby laws are proposed, debated, and enacted within legislative bodies, and how regulatory agencies implement and enforce those laws. Key topics include the roles of elected officials, interest groups, and bureaucratic institutions. The course emphasizes practical understanding through the analysis of contemporary issues as well as the tools to assess the complexities of policymaking and regulatory frameworks and its processes.

This course provides an outline of the various models of how public policies are created in the United States and internationally. The course will examine key models such as rational choice, incrementalism, institutionalism, the advocacy coalition framework, and punctuated equilibrium theory, among others. The course emphasizes the ways in which these models explain the complexity of model formation, decision making, implementation, and evaluation in different political, economic, and social contexts. The assumptions, strengths, and limitations of each model are addressed.

This course explores the overlapping relationship between diplomacy and leadership in international relations, focusing on the skills, strategies, and principles that define effective diplomatic management. The course will examine the role of diplomacy in the implementation of U.S. foreign policy, negotiation, conflict resolution, and international cooperation, as well as the qualities of strong leadership in a complex global environment. Diplomatic protocols, cross-cultural communication, crisis management, and the evolving role of international organizations are assessed.