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Cases and Controversies: How Novitiates Are Trained to Be Masters of the Public Policy Universe
Author(s) -
Chetkovich Carol,
Kirp David L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of policy analysis and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.898
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1520-6688
pISSN - 0276-8739
DOI - 10.1002/pam.2026
Subject(s) - public policy , government (linguistics) , politics , public relations , action (physics) , socialization , reading (process) , sociology , element (criminal law) , policy analysis , political science , policy studies , public administration , social science , law , philosophy , linguistics , physics , quantum mechanics
Public policy schools were established 30 years ago to provide analytic and management skills to aspiring policy professionals. A centerpiece of policy management training has been the action‐centered teaching case, modeled after the cases long used in business schools. Though other aspects of public management teaching and research have been vigorously debated, little attention has been paid to the content of teaching cases.Taking these texts as a central element in policy student socialization, the authors ask what implicit lessons they convey. A close reading of 10 best‐selling cases from the Kennedy School of Government finds the policy world to be the domain of high‐level, lone protagonists beset by hostile political forces; collaborative problem‐solving is rare, street‐level actors insignificant, and historical, social, and institutional contexts of minimal importance. The article discusses the implications of this construction and raises questions about its appropriateness for the training of future public servants. © 2001 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.