UPL602 PLANNING, POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
| Course Code: | 8110602 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 8.0 |
| Department: | Urban Policy Planning and Local Governments |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Graduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Prof.Dr. MUSTAFA KEMAL BAYIRBAĞ |
| Offered Semester: | Fall or Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, the student will learn:
- the key stages and dynamics of "public policy process"
- how changing relations between the state and society/economy shape the process
- the key concepts employed as public policies are examined
- the types and functions of different policy instruments
- the content and orientation of "planning as a mode of policymaking"
- the content and orientation of "planning as a policy instrument"
- the role and place of "planning as a mode of planning" in the urban policy process
- the role and place of "planning as a policy instrument" in the urban policy process
- three dimensions to "urban policy as a policy field":
- urban as a policy instrument
- urban as the site of policymaking
- urban as the context of policymaking
- how "social exclusion", "production of built environment" and "economic development" as three major urban policy concerns could be examined.
- how to construct an analytical framework to conduct "urban policy analysis"
- how to prepare a policy research proposal
- how to conduct "policy analysis" targeting a concrete urban policy problem.
- how to gather and/or produce empirical information required to evaluate a given urban policy issue/program
- how to establish connections between a theoretical framework and the empirical material collected via field research.
- how to develop a critical evaluation of a given urban policy so as to identify policy alternatives.
Course Content
Political nature of urban planning and public policy making is studied. Course provides an advanced analysis of urban politics and policy making. Students are provided with the knowledge and analytical tools to understand and operate within the urban political process and urban policy making. Strategical skills and the ability to contribute to the formulation and implementation of public services will be developed.
Course Learning Outcomes
A student who passed this course will be able to:
- identify the key stages and dynamics of "urban policy process"
- identify the role and place of "planning as a mode of policymaking" in the practice of local and central governments.
- empirically examine the feasibility of "urban planning as a policy instrument" as employed by authorities to address given concrete policy problems.
- formulate nuanced research questions and proposals pertaining to "social exclusion", "production of built environment" and "economic development" as three major urban policy concerns.
- construct an analytical framework to conduct "urban policy analysis"
- prepare a policy research proposal
- conduct "policy analysis" targeting a concrete urban policy problem.
- gather and/or produce empirical information required to evaluate a given urban policy issue/program
- establish connections between a theoretical framework and the empirical material collected via field research.
- develop a critical evaluation of a given urban policy so as to identify policy alternatives.
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Being an expert and making policy analysis and policy formulation within issues as such urban social policy, urban health, local government finance, urban transportation policy, urban water management, institutional capacity development and reorganization of local governments, urban planning and development legislation, urban redevelopment, public-private-partnership for urban services, industrialization and urban economy, city and regional planning, housing and real estate policies, urban conservation, alternatives for local services, environmental policies in the urban context, rural areas management, urban disaster management, women participation to the urban politics, urban social movements, participation to the local politics, urban crime and security. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Ability to take responsibility for leadership during the interdisciplinary oriented field research that necessitates active coordination and issues determining and analyzing the problems of public. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Analytically thinking and synthesizing ability that operationalize research framework with different dimensions and ability to define solution based problems. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Ability for qualitative and quantitative data gathering and processing and sharing the outputs with shareholders especially policy makers and public. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Having the knowledge of related institutional and legal regulations. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Having the knowledge of national and international academic literature and having critical thinking and distinctive contributions to the literature that the students deal with. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Ability to formulate creative policy alternatives and policy implementations by adopting critical and realistic manner for assisting public authorities. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution