LIST OF PANELS

This panel on public policy aims to explore international best practice models of teaching and learning in comparative public policy (CPP) analysis.

The general objectives are as follows:

·         To identify and explore the application of new theoretical models and practices in comparative policy analysis pedagogy.

·         To advance the public policy teaching and learning community of excellence.

As Engeli and Allison (2024) state “teaching CPP methods contributes to forming researchers that advance theoretical and methodological knowledge” and graduates that “acquire the essential skills to critically assess and evaluate comparative policy studies as they work and live in a globalized and interdependent world where comparisons are ubiquitous and often serve specific political and economic interests in public and international affairs”. They then go on to state that “consideration of how to teach CPP methods is of critical importance for educating the next generation of scholar-practitioners.” (p212).

This panel calls on teachers of CPP to share new and innovative models of teaching comparative public policy analysis.

This panel aims to explore and develop international best practice models of teaching and learning in comparative public policy (CPP) analysis.

Comparative policy analysis can focus on multiple aspects of the policy-making process including the magnitude and nature of an issue, the receptiveness and response of interest groups to that issue, the level and nature of the influence those interest groups pose and subsequent political ‘attention’, and the governance structures of the agenda setting process. The choice of policy instrument and the decision-making process is similarly context dependent. Comparative policy analysis can unpack the policy-making process and shine a light on the contextual, structural and political environment that shapes policy decisions. Comparative policy analysis can focus on the outcomes of the policy (or policy inaction). This can make for a rich study of comparisons across regions and countries.

This panel aims to explore new or innovative models of how comparative policy analysis is taught for maximal student learning. Theoretical and empirical contributions to the teaching and learning of comparative policy analysis are welcome. These models could include multi-institutional teaching collaborations through cross-country policy comparisons, the teaching of quantitative and/or qualitative comparative analysis methods, the focus on specific elements of comparative policy analysis such as ‘what to compare’ and ‘how’, or ways in which “we can encourage students to contribute to a more inclusive field of CPP in the 21st century” (Engeli and Allison 2024: 202).

Engeli, I., and Allison, R.C., 2024. ‘Teaching Comparative Public Policy Methods.’ in: St. Denny, E. and Zitttoun, P. (eds) Handbook of Teaching Public Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp 1-511.