Policy Design Analysis and Evaluation

Class 00 - The map of the course
The first class illustrates (a) the object and goal of the course; (b) the available resources; (c) the learning path.
Background readings:
A Schneider, H Ingram, Systematically pinching ideas, 10.1017/S0143814X00006851
A Schneider, H Ingram, Behavioral assumptions of policy tools, 10.2307/2131904


Module A - The substance
Instructor: Alessia Damonte

Public policies are solutions to collective problems. As such, they build on two intertwined causal hypotheses. The first considers that the problem follows when some actors adopt certain behaviors in specific situations. The second hypothesis maintains that interventions on the situation or, more directly, on the actors' behaviors can solve the problem, or at least alleviates it.
The module offers analytic tools to develop the two hypotheses, then focuses on the usage of information as a policy instrument.

Class 02 - The focus of public policy: Action situations
Reading:
PA Sabatier, Theories of the Policy Process, Ch 2
Class 03 - Discussion session
Reading:
E. Ostrom, Reflections on 'Some Unsettled Problems of Irrigation,' 10. 1257/aer.101.1.49

Class 04 - The making of public policy
Reading:
PA Sabatier, Theories of the Policy Process, Ch 3, 7
Class 05 - Discussion session
Reading:
E Aukes, K Lulofs, & H Bressers, Framing mechanisms, 10.1080/19460171.2017.1314219

Class 06 - Information as regulation
Reading:
JG Kelley, BA Simmons. Politics by number 10.1111/ajps.12119
Class 07 - Discussion session
Reading:
S Schueth, Winning the rankings game, 10.1017/CBO9781316161555.007

Class 08 - Policy-takers or policy-makers?
Reading:
L Bini M Bellucci, Accounting for Sustainability, Ch 2 10.1007/978-3-030-24954-0_2
Class 09 - Discussion session
Reading:
Adrian Zicari and Luis Perera Aldama, Value-Added Statements as a Communication Tool for Stakeholders, 10.1007/978-3-319-62785-4_9

Class 10 - Classwork: analyze and improve actual non-financial accounts
Class 11 - Classwork: analyze and improve actual non-financial accounts


Module B _ The shape
Instructor: Alessia Damonte

Causal hypotheses about the world share a formal structure that especially the lenses of logic can reveal. The module introduces students to the language and the rules of propositional logic and illustrates the features of valid reasoning.

Class 12 - Argument and evidence, An informal analysis of arguments
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 2,4
Class 13 - Patterns of reasoning
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 5
Class 14 - Establishing validity
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 6
Class 15 - Critical analysis in practice
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 7
Class 16 - Assumptions
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 8
Class 17 - Evidence as the ground for the tenability of belief: yet, what counts as evidence?
Reading:
P Phelan and P Reynolds, Argument and Evidence, Ch 9,10
Class 18 - Test


Module C _ Establishing tenability with sets
Instructor: Alessia Damonte

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) allows establishing the tenability of causal hypotheses with the set-theoretical rendering of logical models. The module introduces the special assumptions and strategy of the technique with the aid of an actual example.

Class 19 - Attaching numbers to literals: crisp and fuzzy scores
Readings:
A Dusa, QCA with R, Ch 4
Class 20 - Analytic devices: parameters of fit
Readings:
A Dusa, QCA with R, Ch 5, 6
Class 21 - Analytic devices: the truth table
Readings:
Dusa, QCA with R, Ch 7

Class 22 - A QCA from start to finish - Modeling a configurational explanation: hypothesis, cases, and gauges
Class 23 - A QCA from start to finish - Necessity analysis and directional expectations
Class 24 - A QCA from start to finish - Sufficiency analysis and minimizations
Class 25 - A QCA from start to finish - Visualization
Readings:
Rihoux B, & CC Ragin. 2008. Configurational comparative methods. Ch 2, 3, 5
Damonte A, 2021. Modeling configurational explanations, 10.1017/ipo.2021.2

Class 26 - Group work - Critical replication
Class 27 - Group work - Critical replication
Class 28 - Group work - Critical replication

Class 29 - Students' presentations and discussion
Class 30 - Students' presentations and discussion


Module D _ Establishing tenability with frequentist probability
Instructor: TBC

Either explicitly or implicitly, the goal of most empirical research is to interpret causally the co-occurrence of interesting phenomena. Establishing causality, however, has been notoriously difficult without the luxury of experimental data. After presenting the Potential Outcome as the framework of reference valid causal inference, this module introduces students to the theory and practice of four designs for convincing causal claims without experimental data.

Class 31 - The Experimental Ideal & the Potential Outcomes Framework
Readings:
Angrist and Pischke: Ch. 1 & 2
Dunning: Introduction, Ch. 5.1 (The Neyman model 5.1.1-5.1.5)

Class 32 - Instrumental Variables
Readings:
Dunning, Ch. 4
Angrist and Pischke: Ch. 4
Card (1993), 10.3386/w4483
Class 33 - Lab session

Class 34 - The Regression Discontinuity Design
Readings:
Dunning: Ch. 3
Angrist and Pischke: Ch. 6
Lee (2007), 10.1016/j.jeconom.2007.05.004
Class 35 - Lab session

Class 36 - Matching
Readings:
Angrist and Pischke: Ch. 3.3.1
Costalli & Negri (2021), 10.1017/ipo.2021.2
Class 37 - Lab session

Class 38 - Difference-in-Differences
Readings:
Angrist and Pischke: Ch. 5.2 (Differences-in-Differences 5.2-5.2.1)
Card & Krueger (1993), 10.3386/w4509
Class 39 - Lab session

Class 40 - Questions and answers