POLI 8017 Workshop in Public Affiairs

Big Questions in Public Administration

Course Description

This workshop focuses on several enduring “big questions” in public administration. The core of the big questions rest with a few central concepts: professionalism, accountability, quality of governance, and meritocracy. Among the questions we will pursue are: What is accountability and how is it achieved? What are a public administrator’s professional obligations? What is the relationship between meritocracy and the quality of government?  These questions will be explored using writing assignments and exercises grounded in your current work context. 

Course Objectives

1. To familiarize students with current research and best practice related to accountability, professionalism, meritocracy, quality of government, and artificial intelligence.
2. To further internalize standards of behavior for public administrators.
3. To identify contested aspects of professional practice in public administration.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand and better identify their individual obligations as public service professionals.
2. Assess ways to increase public accountability by better managing felt accountability of organization members.
3. Understand and create strategies to improve public policy making by altering behavior related to noticing, deliberating, and executing public policy decisions.
4. Better measure bureaucratic performance, quality of government and meritocracy in their organizations.
5. Assess artificial intelligence so that it is accountable for intended results.