50220 Advocacy and Policy

Handbook description

This subject gives students practical experience in the processes of proposing and achieving policy change, the structures of governance, the positions of stakeholders and the roles of advocates inside and outside formal structures. It focuses on uses of communication strategies and possible sources of information to be used in putting up a case for change. Students explore the processes of policy making through looking at both theoretical underpinnings and the practices of making changes: the role of politicians, parties, community and the processes of lobbying as well as negotiation between power groups and intervention from the less powerful. It involves understanding the main and competing political ideologies and their proponents.

The subject examines the major changes, which have occurred over the last two decades in the role of the public sector, the market and community, as well as in the nuts and bolts of policy making from the point of view of liberal, conservative, social-democratic and radical approaches. These shifts in the concept of the role of government and the transformation of civil society have had major effects on policy frameworks and social movement and activists' practice.

In the practical component of this subject, students are expected to develop skills in critical analysis of public and social policies within and outside the current parameters of debate. This exercise should include analysing the current policy processes, identifying formal and informal key players, definition of power relations between them and the various documents and data needed to make a case for political and social change.

Developing advocacy strategies for change assists students in understanding the broad policy directions and dominant paradigms and how to argue against these on behalf of groups not well served by them. This is an advanced-level subject, which requires a melding of theory and practice. Students read widely on current political issues and are expected to become problem solvers, to look for ways of changing policy and engaging with interest groups.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

1. develop analytical skills for exploring both policy and political problems and the development of solutions
2. be able to analyse the operations of power in and out of formal institutions and the ways in which political process might be influenced and changed by the influence and actions of stakeholders, community organisations and political activism
3. develop skills in both critiquing and proposing policies — to offer explanations of broad policy directions and dominant paradigms, and develop proposals for particular policy changes, within an advocacy or activist framework
4. develop useable proposals for policy development and/or change which recognise current practical and political constraints
5. demonstrate basic advocacy and activist skills including competence in planning strategies for policy lobbying in the context of the stakeholders/players and potential barriers.

These will be demonstrated by capacities to design a submission for policy change with strategies for advocating the issues.

Contribution to graduate profile

This will contribute to the graduate's development of crucial and skills and knowledge in the area of politics, policy design and implementation as well as strategies for the development of advocacy networks and campaigns at an institutional and community level. These skills are particularly important for seeking employment in the areas of public service, government, community organisations, NGOs, trade unions, and national and international advocacy organisations.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject will be made up of a weekly hour lecture and two hour tutorial but sometimes this may vary and be clearly interconnected. Therefore students must attend lectures to get the full benefits of the course. The tutorial will involve a variety of learning activities such as tutorial discussion on the nature of the policy process and exercises directed to develop students' skills and knowledge to implement and change policy and strategies for social action.

Teaching and learning strategies are based on the following principles:

• A collaborative learning environment where students will develop practical and professional skills by their active involvement in collecting information and developing documentation and proposals.
• A sharing of information and experiences through all students participating in tutorial discussions so students can learn from each other's experiences and assist in problem solving.
• Students learn from each other and from the teacher as well as the teacher from the students through wide reading, critical thinking, debate and discussion.

Content

The subject explores the processes of policy making through looking at both theoretical underpinnings and the practices of making changes: the role of politicians, parties, community and the processes of lobbying as well as negotiation between power groups and intervention from the less powerful.

This subject gives students practical experience in the processes of proposing and achieving policy change. It focuses on uses of communication strategies and possible sources of information to be used in putting up a case for change.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Finding out what policies are in existence and who supports them

Assessment item 2: Essay

Assessment item 3: Policy and advocacy strategy plus class presentation

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Indicative references

I have listed some useful ones but there are a lot of new materials emerging in this area all the time. You are expected to read widely and develop judgment on the value of what is available, particularly on the net. Most texts in this area are not written by practitioners and often put up presumed processes that are much too neat to be useful. So read widely, particularly the heavier news media for current issues, develop a clear sense of whose views can be trusted and why, and develop your skills in selecting the best material for the purposes you require.

Althaus C, Peter Bridgman & Glyn Davis 2007, The Australian Policy Handbook 4th Edition Sydney: Allen and Unwin
Cohen, D, Rosa de la Vega, Gabrielle Watson (eds). 2001, Advocacy for Social Justice: a global action and reflection guide Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press
Colebatch, H. 2002, Policy 2nd edition Buckingham: Open University Press
Colebatch, H. (ed) 2006, Beyond the Policy Cycle: the policy process in Australia Sydney: Allen & Unwin
Dalton, T., Draper, M., Weeks, W. & Wiseman, J.1996, Making Social Policy in Australia: An Introduction Sydney: Allen and Unwin
McClelland, A. & Paul Smyth (eds) 2006, Social Policy in Australia: Understanding for Action South Melbourne; Oxford University Press
Mendes, P. 2008, Australia's Welfare Wars Revisited: The players, the politics and the ideologies Sydney: UNSW Press
Saunders, P. (ed) 2000, Reforming the Australian Welfare State, Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies
Smyth, P & Cass, B. (eds) 1998, Contesting the Australian Way: States, Markets and Civil Society. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Yeatman, A. (ed) 1998, Activism and the Policy Process Sydney: Allen & Unwin



Further references
Brennan, D. 1994, The Politics of Australian Childcare: From Philanthropy to Feminism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Edwards, L. 2002, How to argue with an economist, Reopening Political Debate in Australia, Cambridge Uni Press, UK
Fine, B. 2001, 'The expanding universe of Social Capital', Social Capital versus Social Theory: Political Economy and Social Science at the Turn of the Millennium, Routledge, London,
Hancock, L. 1999. Women, Public Policy and the State Macmillan, Melbourne
Patmore G and Glover D. (eds) 2000, New Voices for Social Democracy, Labor Essays 2001, Pluto Press, Sydney
Neumann, Klaus, 2004, Refuge Australia: Australia's humanitarian record, UNSW, Sydney
Pocock B. 2003, The Work/life Collision, Federation Press, Sydney
Anti Discrimination Board, 2003, Race for the Headlines, racism and media discourses, NSW Sydney.
Saunders, P. 2005, The Poverty Wars UNSW Press, Sydney.
Sawer M., & G. Zappala, 2001, Speaking for the People: Representation in Australian Politics Melbourne: Melbourne University Press
Wilson, S, Meagher, G, Gibson, R, Denemark, D and Western, M (eds) 2005, Australian Social Attitudes – the first report, University of New South Wales Press Limited
Winter, I. (ed) 2000, Social Capital and Social Policy, AIFS Melbourne





Websites
The following websites are very useful sources for material which may be relevant to this course. As always, be selective and make sure that what you have found is useful and appropriate.

www.aph.gov.au
This is the Commonwealth Parliament site and has a wealth of material on how our system of government works, papers from the parliamentary library on a very wide range of issues, including policy briefings. The website has links to other government departments and state governments. It is very useful as an entry point to government documents. Most departments have lots of policy stuff on line

http://evatt.labor.net.au/publications/papers
This is a Labour/left-based organisation and has many papers up on its website which covers many of the issues raised in this course and offers some book chapters, lectures and other useful documents.

www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au
This is a NSW government website which supports its involvement in community capacity building. It has many resources aimed mainly at people working in the community.

www.sprc.unsw.edu.au
This is another funded research centre at UNSW, looking at issues of social policy with useful downloadable papers.

www.apo.org.au
This is a very useful web service page out of Swinbourne University which posts up weekly lists and URLs for many actual papers from some of the organisations listed above and others as well. This also has lists of members' websites on its site so can be used as a general access point.

www.onlineopinion.com.au
This has a weekly set of opinion articles and comments which are often quite revolting by readers. It's free and has a wide range of views represented often by people who rewrite for papers.

www.hawkecentre.unisa.edu.au/institute/HawkePolicyWebsite
The Hawke Policy website presents research undertaken at the University of South Australia that has implications for social and public policy. The Hawke Research Institute undertakes research and fosters debate on democratic participation, globalisation, equity and sustainable societies.

www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/lawaccess.asp
This is a useful link for all things legal including human rights and discrimination issues.

www.australianreview.net
This is an online journal, usually left leaning but some interesting discussion issues and articles.

www.cis.org.au
This presents free market, generally neo-liberal and conservative viewpoints but it is worth looking at for different points of view, including some by right wing ALP and the Federal Government.

www.ipa.org.au/
This is further to the right than the CIS but somewhat influential with the Howard government.