Public Policy Pedagogy: Mixing Methodologies Using Cases (original) (raw)

2010, Journal of Public Affairs Education

Over the past two decades, public policy professors have been confronted with a choice to teach either from the traditional positivist approach grounded in rationality, objectivity, and economics or from a postpositivist approach grounded in politics, subjectivity, and democracy. Yet, such a choice is both false and limiting. Instead, we argue that it is possible to teach a practical public policy analysis course based on mixed methodologies that stems from both the positivism and postpositivism camps. At the pedagogical center of this approach is the case method. Our approach is grounded in both the belief and experience that the combination of an approach that is pragmatic, yet infused with politics, and a stimulating case also serves to increase student interest. In this article, we present a class-tested case study ready for use by faculty members in courses in public policy analysis, public policy, and, introductory public administration. Along the way, we provide guidance on how to use the case and how it fits into a mixed methodological approach. Professors of public administration, when asked to teach public policy analysis, seemingly have a choice between two alternative approaches. They can JPAE, 16 (4), 517-540 Policy Analysis and the Pedagogical Trade-Offs Historically, professors of public policy analysis have been confronted with a sort of Hobson's choice. 1 On one hand, they could teach rational, quantitativebased analysis where rigor is imposed simply by applying the typical positivist techniques of analysis. While this dominant approach certainly has appeal and importance, lost in it is the essence of politics, power, and nonrationality that has dominated the past two decades of public policy literature (e.g., Baumgartner & Jones, 1993; Stone, 2002) and that proves very interesting to students. Moreover, as Layzer writes (2006) after discussing the rational-comprehensive model: Most political scientists eschew this model as a description of reality, however. Contrary to its predictions, policy making is rarely a linear process of identifying problems and devising optimal solutions; instead, solutions often go in search of problems, and decision Public Policy Pedagogy: Mixing Methodologies Using Cases