Course Catalog

Course Catalog for PUBLIC POLICY & LAW

PBPL 121

Human Dimensions of Wildlife

This course focuses on human dimensions of wildlife use and management. For millennia, humans have relied on wildlife for food and clothing, as well as for cultural practices and inspiration. This course will explore the historical as well as contemporary human dimensions of wildlife use and management, including stakeholder engagement, hunting regulation, predator reintroductions, Indigenous knowledge, and international policy agreements. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 123

Fundamentals of American Law

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of the United States legal system. Core topics covered include: sources of law; the role of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in the creation, implementation, and interpretation of laws ; state and federal judicial systems; civil and criminal cases; trial and appellate process; criminal law and procedure; elements of due process; safeguarding the rights of the accused; current issues confronting the criminal justice system; and an overview of torts, contracts and alternate dispute resolution. The course will also focus on legal ethics and emerging trends in the legal profession. Students will learn to read and analyze case law and statutes and acquire substantive techniques for legal writing and oral presentations. (SOC)
This course is not open to seniors.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 201

Introduction to American Public Policy

This course introduces students to the formal and informal processes through which American public policy is made. They will study the constitutional institutions of government and the distinct role each branch of the national government plays in the policy-making process, and also examine the ways in which informal institutions-political parties, the media, and political lobbyists-contribute to and shape the policy process. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 202

Law, Argument, and Public Policy

In this course, students will study legal reasoning and the myriad ways in which legal arguments influence the making of American public policy. They will learn how to structure a legal argument and identify key facts and issues, analyze the formal process through which legal cases unfold (including jurisdiction, standing, and the rules of evidence), and examine how rules of law, which define policy choices and outcomes, develop out of a series of cases. (SOC)
Open to Public Policy and Law majors, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 203

Religion and Climate Change

Climate change has elicited a range of responses from the world's religions, based on the history of their understanding of the natural world and the relationship of human beings to it. Through an examination of texts produced by specific religious traditions and actions taken by religious communities individually and collectively, this course will evaluate the role of religion in confronting the climate change crisis. Some experience with religious modes of thought is required. (GLB2)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 207

Law and Government in Medieval England

This course will study the evolution of English law and government in the Middle Ages from the Norman Conquest to the Stuarts. It will emphasize key concepts of common law, the nature of English kingship, the development of Parliament, the status of particular groups in English society, the evolution of governmental power, as well as some comparative material from other medieval states. The course will be taught from primary source materials with supplementary readings from secondary scholarship. Qualifies for credit in the Formal Organizations minor. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 212

Health Policy and Law

This course provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to understanding many of the ethical, political and legal dimensions involved in public health. We will examine the societal functions of public health, a branch of medicine responsible for disease prevention and health promotion at the population level. The course explores the fundamental relationship of public health and social justice and the roles of public policy and law in promoting public health. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 201

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 220

Research and Evaluation

Which policy interventions actually work and which fail to meet their goals? Answering this question is essential to improving public and non-profit services and securing further funding for worthwhile projects. This course aims to give students the ability to comprehend policy research and evaluation, as well as the tools to design and conduct basic qualitative and quantitative analysis. Students will apply these practical skills in assignments that ask them to design evaluations or analyze data to assess the effectiveness of policies. Topics will include data analysis using statistical software, but no previous programming experience is necessary. NOTE: Students may not earn credit for PBPL 220 and POLS 242. (NUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 201, Juniors and Seniors must be PBPL majors, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 230

American Cities and Local Governments: The Legal Perspectives

This course exposes students to the legal frameworks within which American cities and local governments operate. Through reading leading cases from various federal and state courts and writings of important urban thinkers, it explores the division of power between local, state, and federal government and evaluates the desirability of the current system in the broader context of democracy and good government. The course also examines how city decision-making is shaped by the relevant legal frameworks and in turn shapes important aspects of American life, including how racial and ethnic divisions fracture American metropolitan areas. Discussion topics include urban zoning and planning, exclusionary zonings and racial segregation, urban renewal and property rights, public schools and charter schools, and sanctuary cities and immigration. (SOC)
Prerequisite: PBPL 123 or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 245

Title IX: Changing Campus Culture

This course will explore the legal and policy implications of the new Title IX federal guidelines as they apply to equity in athletics and sexual misconduct on college campuses. During the course of the term we will consider how best to devise and implement effective policies aimed at: increasing equity in college athletics; reducing incidents of sexual misconduct on college campuses; protecting the legal rights of all parties to administrative hearings; ensuring that institutions of higher education are in full compliance with new federal and state mandates. Trinity’s Title IX Coordinator, will periodically join in our class discussions. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 251

The Judicial Process: Courts and Public Policy

This course examines the evolution of the judicial process in America and the role of the courts as policy makers. We will study civil and criminal courts at both the state and federal level as well as the functions of judges, lawyers, litigants, and other actors. We will also consider how the courts make policy in areas such as the war on terrorism, the right to privacy, gay and lesbian rights, and the rights of the accused. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Political Science102 or Public Policy and Law 201, 202, or 123, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 288

Religion, Politics, and Policy

The old saying goes, "Never discuss religion and politics in polite company." Yet, from theological views on abortion to the Black liberation struggle, it is hard to avoid intersections of religion and politics, especially as they relate to gender and race. In this course, we examine these examples and more to ask why religion and politics are so intertwined and pervasive in our global society, and what they have to do with racial and gendered power. We focus on the United States and consider religious studies and public policy perspectives. We conclude by examining our local context. (HUM)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 300

Public Policy: Principles and Practice

This course will focus on both micro- and macro-level elements of the public policy process, from problem identification through post-implementation evaluation. In addition to core theoretical text-based discussion, students will be exposed to models of research and reporting used in the various fields of public policy. Students will apply their learning through case-study analysis. They will be required to complete an independent research project through which they will examine a particular area of policy (e.g., healthcare, education, housing, etc.) and to analyze a specific program through one or more of the lenses discussed in class. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in PBPL 201 and PBPL 220

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 302

Law and Environmental Policy

This course examines the development of environmental policy and regulation in the U.S. through analysis of case studies of national environmental policy debates and landmark environmental legislation. The policy challenges presented by global climate change are a special focus. Students gain an understanding of the framework and policy approaches underlying local, state and federal laws regulating air, water, toxic waste, and use of natural resources. In addition, students identify and research a current local, state, national or global environmental issue and then draft a policy memorandum which summarizes the issue, describes available policy choices, and proposes a course of action. (SOCW)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 201 or 202, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 303

Restorative Justice Theories and Practice

This course provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of the ways in which restorative justice theory can be used to promote equity. We will examine the theories of restorative justice, identifying the historical and cultural foundation of restorative justice models and locate research that supports the use of restorative justice practice. Students will have the opportunity to examine the development of restorative based strategies and skills for managing conflict and identify areas of advocacy in promoting restorative justice policy. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 304

Capital Punishment in America: Legal and Moral Dimensions

The course will examine the legal and moral controversies surrounding the application of capital punishment (i.e., the death penalty) as a punishment for homicide. We will consider whether capital punishment is state-sanctioned homicide or good public policy. Topics include: capital punishment through history, U.S. Supreme Court decisions and contemporary problems with the application of the death penalty. We will analyze the nature, extent, and distribution of criminal homicide and critically review current innocence project work. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 123, 201, 202 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 307

Constitutional Powers and Civil Rights

An analysis and evaluation of US Supreme Court decision-making with a focus on judicial review; federalism and the regulation of the economy and morality; equal protection and the evolving concept of democracy; and presidential powers. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 310

Tax Policy and Inequality in Hartford

In this course students will learn about U.S. tax policy and apply their knowledge by preparing taxes for Hartford residents at Trinity's VITA Tax Clinic. Tax policy in the United States is a key site of government redistribution-a place where economic inequality can be mitigated or reinforced. This course explores central elements of tax policy with an emphasis on the politics and policies that led to the growth of social tax expenditures, including refundable tax credits. Students will receive training to become IRS certified tax preparers, and each student will prepare taxes for a regular shift at the Trinity VITA Tax Clinic, located near campus at Trinfo Café. An enhanced version of this class can fulfill the PBPL Internship Requirement. (SOCW)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 311

Polarization and the Policy-Making Process

This course will examine the interaction between policy and polarization. We will first survey the contours and history of polarization in America with a focus on the development of the national political parties. We will then examine the interaction of policy making and polarization at the national and state levels: how does polarization affect policy making at the national and state levels; how does policy affect polarization; why have some states become more polarized than others; and how does that polarization affect policy making at the state level? Finally, we will assess the relationship between policy making and polarization at the national and state levels using the case studies of health care and abortion. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 316

Civil Liberties

An analysis and evaluation of US Supreme Court decisions (and related materials) dealing principally with freedom of expression; the right to privacy; freedom of religion; and, liberty and security. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 321

American Legal History

This course focuses on key themes in law and American history from the colonial era to the early twentieth century. Topics include the English origins of American legal institutions; land, law and Native Americans; the framing of the Constitution; the emergence of the Supreme Court; slavery, westward expansion and constitutional conflict in the new republic; the rise of corporations, railroads and modern tort law; the fate of civil rights in Reconstruction; and the treatment of immigrants and labor under the law. The course analyzes landmark Supreme Court decisions but also considers legal history from a different perspective, e.g., the participation of the enslaved, free people of color, and women in the legal system. The course emphasizes the connection between legal history and current issues. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 201 or 202, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 323

The Legal History of Race Relations

This course will examine the interaction between the American social and legal systems in the treatment of race relations. The seminar will analyze major Supreme Court cases on equal rights and race relations with an emphasis on the historical and social contexts in which the decisions were rendered. The Socratic method will be used for many of the classes, placing importance on classroom discussion among the students and the lecturer. The goals of the course are to expose the students to the basis of the legal system and the development of civil rights legislations sharpen legal and critical analysis, improve oral expression, and develop a concise and persuasive writing style. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 123, 201, 202 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 326

Religion and Prisons

Protestant reformers started American prisons as a benevolent alternative to torture. Christian morality still underlies American laws of repentance-even the name penitentiary comes from religion. Yet, in our era of mass incarceration, America incarcerates more people than any other country, disproportionately imprisoning people of color. This course conceives of incarceration broadly to ask: whom do we punish and why? Whom does the American state consider worth saving and how? And, what can religion nevertheless offer people who are incarcerated? Sources include a court case against evangelical reform programs, poetry from the Japanese American incarceration, and visionary fiction for prison abolition. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 331

Becoming American: Immigration and Integration Policy

Critics of immigration argue that a growing foreign-born population endangers economic health, threatens democratic traditions, and undermines cultural unity. Proponents respond that immigration is central to America’s national identity and crucial for prosperity. This course examines popular and scholarly debates over immigration and immigrant adaptation and analyzes the efficacy of U.S. policies aimed at managing this process. Topics include U.S. border security, the increased state and local regulation of immigration, and the DREAM Act, a proposal that would offer certain undocumented youth a path toward legal status. Course assignments will emphasize persuasive writing and communication for a policymaking audience, including memos and briefings. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 336

Public Health Law

In this course, we will examine the importance of public health interventions rooted in law and learn how the law can be used to address public health problems. A key aspect of public health law is the role of the government in addressing public health problems. Our public health challenges include the role of law in improving the health of communities including supports for physical activity and healthy living, the distribution and consumption of healthy foods and medicine, access to transportation, the establishment of policy guidelines for safe and affordable housing, environmental health and safety, public health responses to emergencies and natural disasters, harm reduction and social inequities in health. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy 201, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 340

Republicanism Ancient and Modern

The Republican Tradition is traced by most scholars back to Greece and the different regimes in Sparta and Athens. All of the pre-Modern Republics had in common that they were small, warlike, and homogeneous. But after the fall of Rome, the Republican Tradition went into eclipse for almost 1,500 years. The conscious search for a distinctively Modern Republican alternative, which was to be large, prosperous, less warlike and less homogeneous began with Machiavelli and traces itself through a variety of thinkers down to Montesquieu, Locke and the American Founding. There is another distinctively Modern permutation of the Republican Tradition that we will consider as exemplified by Rousseau and the French Revolution. The course will explore the nature of pre-Modern Republicanism but will focus on the distinctive nature of the rise and perfection of the Modern Liberal variant of Republicanism. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 346

Mental Health and Criminal Justice

This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complexities inherent in improving the mental health of justice involved persons. We will examine the relationship between complex social factors including race, education and socioeconomic status to understand why some populations are more vulnerable to justice involvement. Our restorative justice approach includes the role of law enforcement, courts and the corrections systems, probation and parole. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 354

The Politics of Education Policy

How do politics shape the development of education policy-making at all levels of government in the United States? What roles do the public, interest groups, community groups, and elected officials play in the creation of education policy? These questions will guide this course as we examine the highly political environment of education policy and the simultaneously diffuse nature of power. We will begin by studying the history and federalist structure of education in the United States. We will then explore the influence of politics on some longstanding education policy debates. These issues will guide our inquiries as we turn to an exploration of the modern era and consider some of the major policy debates of today. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy 201, or EDUC major, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 355

First Amendment Law and Policy

What should we do about hate speech, disinformation, and incitement of violence on social media platforms? Should it be easier to sue newspapers for libel? How should we respond to the publishing of classified documents? This course will consider these and other contemporary problems involving the freedom of speech and other First Amendment rights, in light of Supreme Court decisions, historical sources such as John Milton's Areopagitica, and recent policy proposals. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy and Law 123, 201, 202 or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 365

Crime, Punishment, and Public Policy

This course considers the origins of mass incarceration, the role of race, gender and poverty in our criminal justice system, and current proposals for reform. Topics include mandatory minimum sentences, plea bargaining and prosecutorial discretion; the criminal procedure revolution of the 1960s and its aftermath; false confessions, forensic evidence, and post-conviction review; and probation, diversionary programs and sex offender registration. It also will consider constitutional limitations on governmental search and seizure in an age of technological change and the evolving understanding of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Finally, the course will examine the interaction between the criminal justice system and societal concerns over the use of force by police. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy 201, Public Policy 202, or Political Science102, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 374

From the Courtroom to the Classroom: Religion, Race & Public Education

Why are religion and race perennial issues in public schools when the U.S. Supreme Court declared school segregation and school prayer unconstitutional over half a century ago? And, how are religion and race connected in educational history? In this course, we explore these questions by studying court cases, policies, and grassroots campaigns on topics such as public school Bible-reading, book banning, and holiday celebrations. In doing so, we evaluate how the intersecting colonial histories of American religion, race, and education have made public schools key sites for the moral formation of American children, and therefore, of negotiating American identity. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 375

Current Issues in Federalism and Public Policy:Immigration, Abortion, and Environmental Regulations

Federalism, a defining American constitutional principle, is a system in which political power is shared by the national government and state and local entities. This structure of “dual sovereignty,” which has been subject to ongoing interpretation, has informed some of the most divisive controversies in American history. Currently, executives, legislators, and the courts at all levels of government are engaged in robust debates about the degree to which power should be shared and whether governing authority should reside with national or with state and local officials. We will focus on how the American federal structure shapes arguments and choices in three contentious policy areas: Immigration, Abortion, and Environmental Regulations (SOCW)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy 201, Public Policy 202, or Political Science102, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 377

Law, Gender, and the Supreme Court

This course introduces students to contemporary gender issues as they have been treated both in the law and in the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. We will explore some of the historical antecedents to contemporary legal gender questions and then examine in detail the following areas of controversy: sex discrimination, marriage equality, reproductive rights, and Title IX. (SOC)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Public Policy 201, or permission of instructor

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 378

Election Law and Policy

Election Law and Policy covers the contemporary laws and public policy that govern American elections from a political science perspective. Students will learn about the history of voting rights in the United States as well as explore the laws and institutions that most impact turnout and elections today. The course includes an original research component for studying electoral institutions. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 382

American Political Geography

Students in American Political Geography will learn about how where we live and who we live with shapes attitudes about politics, policy and nation; how America's geography and historic expansion continue to impact politics; how the partisan urban-rural divide has developed over time; how to think about red states and blue states; and how decisions about where to divide spaces from segregation to gerrymandering matter for how we live as a political society. This course will include an introduction to Geographic Information Systems and how to conduct data analysis using geography. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 398

Public Policy and Law Internship and Seminar

The required internship is designed to: (1) To provide students with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the work of an organization concerned with the making of public policy; (2) To engage students in academic projects directly linked to the internship experience and their areas of concentration in the major. Public Policy majors may enroll in the course during pre-registration without instructor permission; however, in order to successfully participate in the course, by the first day of the semester students must have secured an internship and obtained instructor approval for the internship via the form available on our website: https://www.trincoll.edu/public-policy/internship-information/ (SOC)
Open to Public Policy and Law majors, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar's Office, and the approval of the instructor and director are required for enrollment. (SOC)

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

PBPL 401

Current Issues: The Supreme Court and Public Policy

This senior seminar will focus the Supreme Court's role in our constitutional framework and its impact on public policy. We will explore polarization on the Court and competing theories of constitutional interpretation. We also will study the way in which the death of Justice Ginsburg and the recent appointments of Justices Barrett and Jackson are likely to affect the Court's decisions in important areas of jurisprudence, including abortion, LGBTQ rights, religious freedom second amendment rights, and racial gerrymandering. (WEB)
This course is only open to senior Public Policy and Law majors.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 409

Law, History and Public Policy

Lawyers, judges, politicians, and others often invoke history to support the arguments they wish to make. The use or misuse of history in constitutional interpretation can have significant consequences for the equality of all citizens, including women, African Americans, and Indigenous people, as well as for the future of our democracy. This senior seminar will study topics which lie at the intersection of law, history, and public policy, including the contested terrain of Second Amendment gun rights and gun control; the debate over whether our nation began with a proslavery or an antislavery Constitution, and why that question still matters today; and arguments over the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. (WEB)
This course is only open to senior Public Policy and Law majors.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 414

Current Issues: Segregation & Pub Pol

This senior seminar will focus on the historical development and contemporary impact of racial segregation in the United States. We will consider the myriad ways segregation policies and laws were created and their bearing on present-day issues in American cities and suburbs. We will consider how the government both built and reinforced segregation and inequities in American society and potential policy solutions to these problems. We will focus on the critical questions of education and housing policies and politics, as well as exploring other inter-linked contemporary issues including topics like equality, gentrification, voting rights, criminal justice, food policy, and immigration. (WEB)
This course is only open to senior Public Policy and Law majors.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 430

Federal Courts and Public Policy

Over the past 30 years, the Supreme Court has been called upon to resolve many important and often controversial public policy questions. The purpose of this course is two-fold: (1) to familiarize students with the role of the federal courts as a policy making institutions; and (2) to carefully analyze actual cases as a means of assessing the scope of the Court's power to shape public policy, especially in areas where there is little political consensus. Readings will include texts and articles on the role of the federal courts and several of the recent court cases. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 466

Teaching Assistantship

Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor are required for enrollment. Guidelines are available in the College Bulletin. (0.5 - 1 course credit)

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

PBPL 490

Research Assistantship

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to undertake substantial research work with a faculty member. Students need to complete a special registration form, available online, and have it signed by the supervising instructor.

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 498

Public Policy and Law Thesis and Colloquium

This course is designed to teach senior Public Policy and Law majors how to write a year long honors thesis. The course is designed to provide support and structure to the process of writing a thesis. Students will formulate a research question, undertake a review of the literature, develop strategies to organize their work, and familiarize themselves with the appropriate Library and Internet sources. Students will also make oral presentations of their work. This course is required of all senior Public Policy and Law majors who are writing an honors thesis. (WEB)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 499

Senior Thesis Part 2

This course is the second part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (WEB)

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 800

Public Policy: Principles and Practice

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 801

Community Oriented Development Strategies to Address Urban Decline in the United States

In this course we will explore the causes of neighborhood decline, examine the history, current practice and guiding policies of community development, and see firsthand selected community development strategies at work in the local communities surrounding Trinity College. We will pay close attention to the influence of ideas in good currency in the field of urban development such as smart growth, transit oriented development, land-banking and place-making. The course is organized around four questions: What are the underlying forces behind neighborhood decline? How and why did community development emerge? How has community development practice reconciled itself with current concepts that guide urban development such as new urbanism, smart growth, place-making and land-banking. What does the future hold for disinvested communities and for community development practice?

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 802

Law and Environmental Policy

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 802

Global Cities

This seminar examines the contemporary map of interactions between cities in the world. There is now a considerable array of research analyzing what are variously termed global or world cities in the hierarchy of the world economy, and a counter-critique has emerged which seeks to analyze all cities as ordinary, moving beyond old binaries of 'developed' and 'developing' worlds of cities. We will interrogate this debate in both its theoretical and its empirical dimensions, with case studies from Africa and assessment of cultural, political, economic and environmental globalization. (GLB)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 803

Urban Planning Global Studio

In this studio, readings and discussions concentrate on the key issues confronting contemporary urban planning practice. Students will develop a broad, international and comparative perspective on issues such as planning theory, infrastructure, smart cities, zoning and equity, the politics of real estate, or urban policy and law generally. The goal of the studio is hands-on, practical exposure to professional practice in urban planning and development in Connecticut, the US, and around the world. Approximately one hour per week is a remote/virtual weekly discussion with practicing planners and urban developers. (GLB5)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 804

Capital Punishment in America: Legal and Moral Dimensions

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 806

Methods of Research

This course is intended to empower students to evaluate common forms of research critically, and to give them some experience in conducting research. Through a series of weekly assignments and class projects, students will be introduced to the shaping of research questions; hypothesis testing, writing a research paper, conducting interviews and surveys, giving a professional presentation, and presenting simple tabular data to prove a point. The course does not require an extensive mathematics background. Regular attendance and access to a computer, e-mail, and the Internet are expected. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 807

Architecture and Urban Planning on the Swahili Coast

This course uses the city and polity of Zanzibar as a model and laboratory for understanding the architectural history, geography and planning of Swahili Coast urbanism in East Africa. For more than a thousand years, cities along the East African coastal strip have been major entrepôts linking the African interior with trade networks across the Indian Ocean and beyond. Zanzibar was at the center of this urban region economically and politically especially in the 18thand 19th centuries. After gaining independence in 1963, Zanzibar experienced a socialist revolution and union with Tanganyika during a brief stretch in early 1964, after which it became a partner state in the United Republic of Tanzania. After a period of stasis and even decline, the city's population exploded after 1964. From a town of less than 50,000 people, it has grown to a metropolitan area of more than a half million in just over 55 years. Zanzibar's society and culture are heavily cosmopolitan. Over 90% of the population is Muslim and African-Swahili in ethnic terms, yet the influences (and minority cultures) of Christians, Hindus, Arabs, South Asians, and others abound. This is especially the case in the city's architecture and built environment. All of this makes Zanzibar a spectacular context in which to explore the challenges of balancing historic preservation and urban development in architecture and urban planning. This online course will enable students to investigate Zanzibar's historic importance, architectural significance, and contemporary urban planning and urban environmental challenges. Students will have readings, lectures and virtual visits and case analyses to/for specific important sites and urban planning projects. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 808

Constitutional Foundations of Public Policy

This course will examine the history, methods, and types of successful, formal, written argumentation in policy advocacy. Among the arenas explored will be courts of law, legislative bodies, and the broader field of public opinion. Most course material will be drawn from case studies. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 815

Urban South Asia

This seminar introduces students to South Asia and the Indian ocean as vast urbanizing world regions, encompassing more than a third of the global population. Students will study contemporary urban challenges through histories of colonialism and economic expansion. They will learn about important concepts in the development of urban planning as a form of colonial experimentation, and the role of cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, and Lahore in 20th century nation-building. Themes will include how South Asia challenges the conceptual divide between urban and rural, the role of small cities, diaspora labor and capital in shaping urban development beyond the Indian subcontinent, gender, ethnic conflict, and climate change. (GLB5)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 817

Education and Immigration in the City

This course is designed to introduce students to urban educational policy, with particular focus on the major issues and challenges facing urban and suburban policymakers. After a brief overview of the shape and history of the American school system, we will move toward considering a variety of different perspectives on why it has proven so difficult to improve America's schools. We will examine standards-based, market-driven, professionally-led and networked models of reform, looking at their theories of change, implementation challenges, and the critiques leveled against these approaches. We will examine a variety of recent reform efforts at both the federal and state levels. Special attention will be paid to the ways in which immigration and educational policy interact. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 819

Urban Research Practicum

This research seminar is designed to prepare students for conducting urban research, in Hartford or in any city. The course will include an in-depth survey of methods and approaches in the field. Students will develop research proposals and conduct research projects for term papers. The seminar is geared both for seniors working to produce honors theses and urban studies majors and minors planning on conducting independent study projects. The aim is to foster skill development and enhance training in research methodologies and techniques, including projects with applied components, community learning connections, and/or pure research endeavors. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 819

Affordable Housing Policies

This course will provide an in-depth treatment of affordable housing policy and programs in the United States starting with the New Deal and how they have shaped and reshaped the City of Hartford. The course will focus on the legacy of affordable housing programs and current federal, state, and local policies aimed to desegregated and promote economic opportunities for low-income households. Students will gain an advanced knowledge on a variety of affordable housing programs and policies aimed at increasing affordability and de-concentrating poverty. Students will have the opportunity to witness changes at a particular housing project in Hartford in the City's effort to meet new housing policy objectives while providing affordable housing to residents. (HUM)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 821

Law, Policy, and Society

This course is about the interaction between law and politics. It treats the federal courts as a political institution that enjoys a complex and changing relationship with its coequal branches of government and the states. We will investigate if course are a powerful policy making branch, how they exercise power, and under what conditions they are most and least powerful. Our focus will be on the federal courts, particularly the US Supreme Court. First, we will consider the broad debates around the power of courts. Second, we will turn to a series of case studies to understand the power of courts in particular instances. Possible case studies include: the NAACP's integration campaign, abortion rights and anti-abortion activism, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX, and court policy-making in the era where power is exercised through algorithms. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 822

Geographies of Transport: Being on the Move in the 21st Global Urban Century

Mobility is a permanent aspect of life. Transport infrastructures are a determinant of the spatial, economic, and social structures of cities. This course will introduce students to the spatial and social aspects of transportation and mobility across the globe. This course will act as a forum for research into transport and mobility, including debates on the planning and formation of transport policymaking. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 825

American Presidency

An explanation of the institutional and political evolution of the presidency with an emphasis on the nature of presidential power in domestic and foreign affairs. Attention is also given to institutional conflicts with Congress and the courts. The nature of presidential leadership and personality is also explored. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 830

Federal Courts and Public Policy

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 833

Introduction to Urban Planning

This course provides an overview of urban planning. Students will be introduced to key theories and concepts as well as methods and empirical case studies in this multidimensional field. Lectures and seminar discussions concentrate on applications of urban planning theories and concepts as practiced by urban planners. Topics discussed in the course may include regional, environmental, metropolitan, transportation, spatial, and land-use planning issues. Empirical emphasis is expected to be on Hartford and other Connecticut cities, but the course may discuss other American or international urban areas. The course is an elective geared toward public policy graduate students with an interest in urban policy, regardless of their track. This course may be of interest to American studies graduate students as well (permission of adviser required). (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 840

Budget Management and Public Policy

This course will focus on the practical aspects of public budgeting, finance, and financial management in the policy making process. It will begin with the "how to's" of budget development, from estimating and projecting revenues to deconstructing expenditures in order to develop the best estimates. Where appropriate, elements of public finance theory will be introduced and discussed as it relates to practical budget and financial management Both the bonding process and the complications related to third party service provision will be addressed. We will utilize practical tools for budget and financial management, such as results-based accountability, performance contracting, and reviewing budget to actual data together with projected to actual service data on a regular basis. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 846

Policy Analysis

In policy analysis, we focus on the problems of empirical policy analysis: defining the problem, framing the questions to be answered, picking the location and scope of the study, selecting the metrics of analysis, aligning metrics with public values, collecting evidence, and transforming the evidence into data. The readings and weekly discussions are avenues for students to query themselves on the problems they must solve to advance their own research agendas. Students will complete a major project in empirical policy analysis. Enrollment limited. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 849

Health Care Regulation and Policy

This course will offer an overview of the basic concepts and principles of health care regulation and policy that are necessary to understand the health care sector in the United States. This course will focus on the purposes of health care regulation, the key components of regulation and the processes by which regulation is developed and implemented. Various spheres of health care regulation will be analyzed, including both governmental and private parties involved in the regulatory process. Emphasis will be on policy issues and conflicts that underlie health care regulation. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 850

Women, Leadership and Public Policy

Women have made significant progress over the course of history in achieving greater equity in the public and private sectors. However, a number of barriers still exist that prevent women from fully reaching their potential. This course examines challenges and opportunities related to women's leadership development through discussion of course texts, business cases, guest speakers, and reflection. This course will also examine the current research on whether women's policy and leadership interests are freely expressed, and whether women's policy and leadership interests differ from men's (e.g., the gender gap in public opinion, educational status, justice system, and political involvement.).

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 855

Urban Politics

This course will use the issues, institutions, and personalities of the metropolitan area of Hartford to study political power, who has it, and who wants it. Particular attention will be given to the forms of local government, types of communities, and the policies of urban institutions. Guest speakers will be used to assist each student in preparing a monograph on a local political system. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 859

Economics of Public Policy

This course utilizes economic reasoning to examine both the proper scope of public policy and the impact of policy decisions. Through economic analysis we will explore how market systems can be used to achieve policy goals and determine most effective government interventions when market failures occur. We examine the effects of policy alternatives including equity, efficiency, and effectiveness on a variety of policy areas such as taxation, education, social insurance, government debt, and healthcare. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 860

Public Management

This course will survey the core principles and practices of management in the public sector. Many modern commentators have argued that public institutions must be "run like a business" to achieve its mission in an efficient and accountable way. Is this argument valid? If not, how must the management of public institutions adapt or depart from basic business principles? Course readings will focus on key elements of successful management in the public sphere, including financial and budgetary oversight, capital planning, public transparency and inclusion, and workforce management. Students will engage with course material through a series of short essays or policy memoranda, an independent research project analyzing the management of an individual public institution or agency, and making recommendations for enhancements to its management structure and practices. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 866

State and Local Policy

State and local governments play a vital role in governing, policy innovation, and the delivery of services in the United States. Their importance has arguably increased in recent decades with the trend toward devolution of government to the state and local levels, the use of referenda, and the central role of states in battles over social issues. In this course we will review available social science research to consider the central issues and challenges of governance at the state and local levels. We will examine differences between states’ political cultures and their implications for public policy, compare federal versus state and local provision of social services, and consider the significance of the use of redistricting, recalls, referenda and initiatives in political struggles across the country. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 869

Leadership in the Policy Arena

What is "Leadership?" To what extent can it be defined and practiced according to fundamental general principles? How must the application of such principles be adapted to differing institutional, organizational, and community settings, and to varying situations? Can anyone lead effectively with sufficient opportunity and, if so, to what degree must leadership be "personalized" by each individual? This course will explore leadership principles through readings from a broad spectrum of fields and historical periods and seek to identify the key lessons to be applied to leadership in the current public policy sphere. Students will engage with the course material through a series of short essays and one independent research project focused on a leadership analysis of a contemporary public institution or not-for-profit organization. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 870

Polarization and the Policy-Making Process

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 872

The American Welfare State

The American government provides a social safety net to its citizens through a number of direct social programs, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, public assistance, and a variety of other social provisions. However, the role that federal and state governments should play in providing a robust social safety net remains a highly contested issue in American politics. This course contextualizes the contemporary debate by examining the historical development of the peculiar American welfare state from the earliest social programs in the nineteenth century to the New Deal and Great Society programs to the scaling back of direct social programs during the 1980s and 1990s. (SOC)

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 874

Public Policy Practicum

The Practicum is a semester-long opportunity for students to apply and expand their knowledge and technical skills by performing an actual consulting engagement for a public sector client organization. Practicum students will work in small teams to analyze and make recommendations with respect to issues of real significance faced by their clients. Each engagement will combine research, project planning, and problem-solving challenges, as well as substantial client contact. Client organizations are selected from across the policy spectrum to better enable students to pursue subject matters of particular relevance to their studies and career interests. Each engagement will culminate in a final report and formal presentation to the client organization. The Practicum instructor will provide careful guidance and participants will have opportunities to share ideas, experiences, and best practices. (SOC)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 875

Current Issues in Federalism and Public Policy:Immigration, Abortion, and Environmental Regulations

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 877

Law, Gender, and the Supreme Court

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 898

Academic Internship

No Course Description Available.

0.50 units, Independent Study

PBPL 940

Independent Study

Selected topics in special areas are available by arrangement with the instructor and written approval of the director of public policy studies. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for the special approval form. (SOC)

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 953

Research Project

A research project on a special topic approved by the instructor and with the written approval of the director of public policy studies. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for the special approval form. (SOC)

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 954

Thesis Part I

Two credit thesis: start time-approval of idea, initial bibliography, and sketch of the project by pre-registration time for graduate students in the term prior to registration for the credit; first draft by reading week of the second semester, "final" first draft by end of spring vacation week; final copy due one week before the last day of classes. (SOC)

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 955

Thesis Part II

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Independent Study

PBPL 956

Thesis

No Course Description Available.

2.00 units, Independent Study