Methods for Socially Just Policy Analysis
SW639
| Credits: |
3 |
| Prerequisites: |
Foundation Essentials required |
Pathway Associations
Course Description
This course will introduce students to a set of analytic tools and skills for critical policy thinking, reading, and writing. Analytic tools introduced in this class include frameworks for policy analysis and using feminist, intersectional, and critical race lenses for policy analysis. The impact of race, gender, and class on policy development and enactment are emphasized throughout the course as well as an exploration of global approaches to policy analysis.
This course will enhance critical writing skills and teach concise and persuasive writing methods, issue framing, and legislative literacy for effective policy writing. Students will learn qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods frequently used for policy analysis. Students will also be introduced to policy document writing, including policy briefs, memos, factsheets, op-eds, and public comments. Finally, students will learn how to locate, read, and translate policy for community consumption.
Objectives
1. Explore frameworks for policy analysis and utilize various frameworks for analysis, such as critical race theory, feminist, and intersectional frameworks;
2. Apply frameworks for policy analysis to the assessment of impact on social, economic, and environmental justice;
3. Explore research on evidence-based policymaking and its application to policy development and enactment;
4. Develop and evaluate a reasonable set of options (policy recommendations) for changing a particular bill or existing policy;
5. Design and implement a preliminary political and advocacy strategy for facilitating the enactment of the preferred option;
6. Organize and prepare different types of policy documents and/or policy recommendations;
7. Discuss the effect of social location and positionalities on policy development, their influence across system levels, and the process by which policy can advantage/privilege and disadvantage/oppress groups based on social location;
8. Discuss typical ethical concerns and concepts of equity related to social policy development and enactment
Design
This course will use multiple methods including but not limited to: lectures, demonstrations, case studies, readings, guest speakers, discussions, written assignments, individual and group exercises. The course will be offered primarily in person with the possibility of a flipped-class or hybrid structure.
Intensive Focus on Privilege, Oppression, Diversity and Social Justice (PODS)
This course integrates PODS content and skills with a special emphasis on the identification of theories, practice and/or policies that promote social justice, illuminate injustices and are consistent with scientific and professional knowledge. Through the use of a variety of instructional methods, this course will support students developing a vision of social justice, learn to recognize and reduce mechanisms that support oppression and injustice, work toward social justice processes, apply intersectionality and intercultural frameworks and strengthen critical consciousness, self-knowledge and self-awareness to facilitate PODS learning.
Issues related to privilege, oppression, diversity, and social justice will be explored through a policy lens. This course will focus on providing students with the tools to advance social justice through engagement in policy and politics, with a focus on engaging marginalized populations in the policy development process. Students will gain skills to analyze policies in relation to PODS, including evaluating the extent to which policies promote equity with regard to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, disability status and other aspects of social location.
Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Education Description
ID/IPE content in SW 639 supports students to understand and value the importance of interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork in Social Work practice across a variety of populations, settings and roles.
Inclusion of ID/IPE content is supported by and directly relates to:
CSWE core competencies 1 ,4, 6, 7, 8,9 competencies
https://www.bu.edu/ssw/files/2016/07/CSWE-2015-Competencies.pdf
University of Michigan 5 IPE Core Competencies: (Values/Ethics, Roles and Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams/Teamwork and Intercultural Humility)
https://interprofessional.umich.edu/about/ipe-competencies-at-u-m/
This pathway required-course intentionally integrates interdisciplinary or interprofessional practice content including:
CSWE Competencies addressed in this course are: #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9
IPE Core Competencies addressed in this course are: Values/Ethics, Roles/Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams/Teamwork, and Intercultural Humility
ID/IPE content that will be addressed and evaluated in the following ways:
1. Interdisciplinary and/or interprofessional practice are required content areas in the course with integration of relevant required readings, class lecture and discussion including:
Development of the policy factsheet and policy brief assignments will require students to utilize interdisciplinary and interprofessional practice theories, perspectives, and frameworks as the final products are meant to be used by professionals from various disciplines.
In-class activities and discussions will highlight the need to work collaboratively across disciplines and support students in developing their communication skills to effectively do so.
2. Students will be encouraged to actively contribute from their experiences, field placement practice, knowledge of readings, etc. to considerations of the impact of interdisciplinary and interprofessional care related to diverse populations and settings.