Winter School - Alps edition 2024

Tanya Heikkila's Course

General Information

Tanya Heikkila (University of Colorado Denver)

Tanya Heikkila is a Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, where she directs the Master of Public Policy program and co-directs the Center for Policy and Democracy. Prof. Heikkila’s research focuses on how conflict and collaboration arise in policy processes, and what types of institutions support collaboration, learning and conflict resolution. Some of her recent research has explored these issues in the context of interstate watersheds, large-scale ecosystem restoration programs, and unconventional oil and gas development. Prof. Heikkila has published numerous articles and books on these topics and has participated in several interdisciplinary research and education projects. Prior to coming to CU Denver, Prof. Heikkila was a post-doctoral fellow at Indiana University’s Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis and an Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She received her BA from the University of Oregon and her MPA and PhD from the University of Arizona.

Course: Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Studying Policy Conflicts

This course covers theoretical and methodological approaches to studying policy conflicts. It begins with an overview of how policy conflict has been treated in different policy process theories. It then offers an introduction to the Policy Conflict Framework, which builds upon diverse insights from other policy theories, and unpacks the drivers, characteristics, and effects of policy conflict. The course will illustrate alternative methods for measuring, comparing, and assessing policy conflicts – particularly surveys, interviews, and news media coding. Examples of these methods will be highlighted from a diverse set of policy contexts.

MONDAY 29 JANUARY 2024

10.15 – 12.15	Course 1: Foundations of Policy Conflict in Policy Process Research and Applications in Policy Process Theories
12.15 – 14.00	LUNCH BREAK
14.00 – 15.30	Workshop 1: Where does policy conflict appear in policy process theories?
15.30 – 15.45	COFFEE BREAK
15.45 – 17.15	Workshop 1: Where does policy conflict appear in policy process theories?

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY 2024

10.15 – 12.15	Course 2: The Policy Conflict Framework, Overview
12.15 – 14.00	LUNCH BREAK
14.00 – 15.30	Workshop 2: Discuss the conceptualization of policy conflict; what’s missing; how would the operationalization need to change for different settings?
15.30 – 15.45	COFFEE BREAK
15.45 – 17.15	Workshop 2: Discuss the conceptualization of policy conflict; what’s missing; how would the operationalization need to change for different settings?

WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2024

10.15 – 12.15	Course 3: Overview of Methods for studying policy conflict
12.15 – 14.00	LUNCH BREAK
14.00 - 16.00	Free Afternoon - Group Excursion

THURSDAY 01 FEBRUARY 2024

10.15 – 12.15	Course 4: Qualitative Approaches for Studying Policy Conflict
12.15 – 14.00	LUNCH BREAK
14.00 – 15.30	Workshop 3: Conducting and coding interviews for policy conflict research
15.30 – 15.45	COFFEE BREAK
15.45 – 17.15	Workshop 3: Conducting and coding interviews for policy conflict research

FRIDAY 02 FEBRUARY 2024

10.15 – 12.15	Course 5:Moving the study of policy conflicts forward: next steps and connections to your own research
12.15 - 14.00	LUNCH BREAK
14.00 - 16.00	Workshop 4: Group Discussion and Presentation