Arizona State University
School of Public Affairs
Dr. Paula D. McClain
PAF 541 Minority Communities and Public Policy
Objective
This course is designed to examine several public policy issues that are of concern to the Black, Chicano and Native American communities. The course will start with an examination of the agenda setting process and how minority groups have influenced this stage of the policy process. It will then move to an examination of the implementation of some of the civil rights laws and policies. The latter part of the course will concentrate on specific policy issues relative to these
Required Texts
Aldon Morris, The Origin of the Civil Rights Movement (Bellmawr, NJ: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1985).
Hanes Walton, Jr., When the Marching Stopped (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1988).
C. S. Bullock and C. M. Lamb, Implementation of Civil Rights Policy (Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 1984).
A. K Karnig & P. D. McClain, Urban Minority Administrators (Westport, CT: Greenwich Press, 1988) (on reserve in library)
A number of journal articles are also required.
Course Requirements
1. Each student will be required to take two (2) examinations a midterm and a final. The mean of these exams will be worth 45% of the total grade.
2. Prepare three (3) short papers (57 pages) on assigned topics. Each paper must be prepared prior to the session for which it is due. All papers must be well written, carefully edited, typed, and on time. Concept papers are worth 50% of the total grade.
3. Class participation 5% of final grade. Since the class will be seminar, rather than lecture format, this component of the grade is very important.
Written Assignments
Three (3) short (57 pages) conceptual papers will be required.
1. Due September 19:
Lowi's typology provides a framework for classifying public policies. Discuss Lowi's typology and how policy issues of concern for a particular minority group fit into this framework. (Use three or four policy examples.
2. Due October 17:
Choose two minority groups and compare and contrast their efforts for social and political equality.
3. Due November 14:
What have been the problems surrounding the implementation of civil rights policy? Are the problems unique to civil rights legislation?
OR
Due December 12:
As we move into the 1990's, what particular policy areas will be of concern to either Blacks, Chicanos, Indians or other minority groups? (chose one) What are the reasons and why?
Course Outline
In the outline which follows, all readings preceded by an asterisk (*) are required and will be discussed in class.
I. Theory
August 29 No Class
September 5, 14, & 19 Lowi Framework and Agenda Setting
*Theodore J. Lowi, "American Business, Public Policy, Case Studies, and Political Theory," World Politics (1964):677715
*Theodore J. Lowi, "Four Systems of Policy, Politics and Choice." Public Administration Review (July/August, 1982).
*Roger W. Cobb, J.K Ross, and M.H. Ross, "Agenda Building as a Comparative Process," American Political Science Review 70 (March, 1976) 126138
*McClain, Paula D. "Agenda Setting, Public Policy and Minority Group Influence: An Introduction." Policy Studies Review 9 (Winter 1990): 263272.
*Korsmo, Fae. "Problem Definition and the Alaska Natives: Ethnic Identity and Policy Formation."
*Miller, Cheryl M. "Agenda Setting By State Legislative Black Caucuses: Policy Priorities and Factors of Success."
*Marquez, Ben. "Organizing the Mexican American Community in Texas: The Legacy of Saul Alinsky."
September 26,
October 3, 10 & 17 Background Civil Rights Movement
*Morris, Origins of the Civil Rights Movement.
*L. Estrada, F. C. Garcia, R. F. Macias and L. Maldonado, "Chicanos in the United States: A History of Exploitation and Resistance." Daedales 110 (2): 103131.
*Joyotpaul Chaundhuri, "American Indian Policy: An Overview of the Legal Complexities, Controversies, and Dilemmas." The Social Science Journal 19 (July 1982); 3745.
*Joane Nagel, "The Political Mobilization of Native Americans." The Social Science Journal 19 (July 19&2): 3645.
October 24 MIDTERM
October 31,
November 7 & 14 After the Civil Rights Movement Legislation & Implementation
*Palumbo, Dennis, "Introduction to Symposium: Implementation: What Have We Learned
and Still Need to Know," Policy Studies Review 7 (Autumn 1987) 91102.
*Bullock and Lamb, Implementation of Civil Rights Policy.
*Walton, When the Marching Stopped.
November 21 Minority Administrators
A. K Karnig & P. D. McClain, Urban Minority Administrators.
November 28, Selected Policy Areas of Concern
December 5 and 12
Blacks
*W. E. Nelson, Jr., & Mosqueda & P. Meranto, "Reaganomics and the Continuing Urban Crisis in the Black Community in Rice & Jones, Contemporary Public Policy Perspectives and
Black Americans. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1984.
W. Jones & M. Rice, "Black Health Care in an Era of Retrenchment Politics," in Rice & Jones, Contemporary Public Policy Perspectives and Black Americans.
*Linda Williams, "Black Political Progress in the 1980's: The Electoral Area," in Michael B. Preston, et. al., The New Black Politics. New York: Longmann, 1987.
Chicanos
*John A. Garcia, "Chicano Politics in the 1980's and Beyond. A Review of the
Literature in the Decade of the Hispanics." National Political Science Review 1
(1989): 180189
*John A. Garcia, "The Voting Rights Act and Hispanic Political Representation in the
Southwest." Publius 16 (Fall 1986): 4965.
*Rudolfo O. de la Garza, " 'And there were some...': Chicanos as National Political
Actors, 1967 1980." Aztlan 15: 124.
American Indians
*Joyotpaul Chaundhuri, "Indians and the Social Contrast," National Political
Science Review 1 (1989): 190200.
*C. Patrick Morris, "Termination by Accountants: The Reagan Indian Policy,"
Policy Studies Journal 16 (Summer 1988): 731750.
*James R. Bohland, "Indian Residential Segregation in the Urban Southwest:
1970 and 1980. Social Science Quarterly 63 (December 1982): 749761.
*David Stea "Native American Reservation Housing: The Past Five Years and
Prospects for the Future." Public Affairs Report 24 (February 1983): 110