Policy in Social Context expands students' knowledge of developments in the field of public policy and the impact of policy on people. Focusing on contemporary policy problems, students will define, analyse and apply these theoretical lenses against the background of a range of societal influences. The unit examines the complexities of the policy process in its political and social context. This subject will engage students in the analysis and evaluation of both the policy process and social policy outcomes.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to: 1. Explain and evaluate the key theories and concepts developed by public policy scholars for understanding the policy process;
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the policy processes in Australia;
3. Examine and evaluate a range of contemporary social policy issues;
4. Apply theories to real world policy scenarios to critically examine the ways in which policy is created and applied in context;
5. Collaborate on a policy analyses, utilising research and referencing and communicate the results effectively in writing; and
6. Reflect upon their unit experience, including theories, discussions and feedback, and how it relates to the goals set out in their professional portfolio.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development

Skills development

This unit covers relationships between the political system and the social systems that form its environment. What distinguishes the political system is that it is a free-standing system where policy is produced. From time to time, economic systems, legal systems, cultural systems, and so forth may produce conflicts in society. Those conflicts have to be sorted out in some way. Political systems come into being as the means by which society makes binding decisions -- decisions that bind the varieties of societal social systems. An economic system may organise itself with a wage structure that conflicts with cultural values regarding a living wage or a legal system may afford companies to pollute in a way that offends our sense of obligations to care for the environment. These conflicts in the way social systems organise themselves give rise to demands for policy change. This unit provides students with a theoretical vocabulary for thinking about relationships between social systems and the political or policy system. It covers both domestic and international societal domains. Throughout the unit you will find a heavy emphasis on relating concepts to current events so please come prepared to share examples from the news that exemplify concepts from each week.

Prerequisites

Must have completed 24 credit points AND
11235 Introduction to Politics and Government OR 11378 Introduction to Public Policy.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

7534 Social Policy: Government, Wealth and Welfare 8716 Civil Society: Politics and Policy

Assumed knowledge

None.