This course studies a broad range of public policies and analyzes the process of making policy through case studies, which range from foreign policy to economics. We will study various views of the policy-making process in our national government and consider the different stages of policy-making, including how problems are defined, how new proposals emerge, and how certain solutions make it onto the national agenda and are debated before adoption, altered during implementation, and subsequently evaluated. We will also consider the role of politicians, experts, and bureaucrats in policy-making, study why specific policies were adopted, and debate whether these were the best possible policies. Finally, students will be asked to arrive at their own policy positions on an important issue by taking into account the full range of issues (constitutional, moral, political, economic, circumstantial, and so on) to be considered in deciding on a sound policy. This course is one of the required foundation courses for the Public Policy Concentration and is also open to other upperclass students. This course can be used to complete the requirement in American politics for political science majors. Prerequisite: sophomore standing. Enrollment limited.