Please see full syllabus under "Modules" --> "Getting Started"

Class Meeting: online

Course Description: The following description is from the SPEA Bulletin: This course will explore concepts of social equity and justice as a value and a tool, as well as a measure of policy effectiveness. Topics focus on the role of public policy and institutions (e.g., legislatures, courts, and agencies) in addressing issues like structural racism and inequality.

Course Objectives: This course is designed to give an introductory overview of social equity and justice in public affairs. We explore high-level concepts involved in delivering public services in a fair manner while also identifying the tools to engage in social equity impact analyses and to improve equity in public and nonprofit organizations. The private, public, and nonprofit sectors are increasingly interconnected in collaborative efforts to develop effective policies to solve public problems and accommodate the needs of diverse stakeholders in society.

The decisions made (or not made) by governments and public officials shape how we live. Local government officials, for example, create policies that play a role in setting tuition rates. The federal government can establish terms of student loans, which are distributed, monitored, and collected upon by government, nonprofit, and private organizations. Universities, as nonprofit organizations, deliver education as a public good. Government policies and public and nonprofit organizations influence the social, economic, and political fabric of our lives.

This course on social equity and justice in public affairs provides a broad overview of some of the key social equity and justice challenges impacting public administrators today. There are several objectives of this course: a) explore some social equity challenges; b) application of theories; c) integrate and use different perspectives on social equity; d) translate knowledge into practice; e) think and write analytically/critically; f) explore how to evaluate and address social equity challenges; and g) develop self-knowledge and skills needed in the public and/or non- profit sectors. Further, this course addresses the competencies expected of public administrators.

The focus of this course is social equity and justice in public affairs. Within that focus, I have selected class materials that present a variety of topics and arguments, including different perspectives on social equity and justice within the field of public administration, social equity and justice for different communities, and social equity and justice in different policy fields. It is very likely that connections between our course and current and/or historical events outside the classroom will come up in lectures/class discussions/ assignments. Those connections may require careful thought rather than being immediately obvious, but the ability to understand and analyze connections among ideas and events is a core skill of public administrators and will stand you in good stead in your life beyond IU.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, students should be able to demonstrate the following outcomes:

1. To articulate social equity and justice challenges for public administrators;
2. To identify theories related to social equity and justice;
3. To analyze factors that contribute to social equity and justice challenges;
4. To collect and compare evidence toward verifying and clarifying public problems in terms of social equity and justice;
5. To analyze how official and unofficial stakeholders can influence social equity and justice policymaking and policy choices;
6. To identify and analyze areas for potential improvement;
7. To analyze current and/or historical events through the lens of social equity and justice.

Texts: Guy, Mary and Sean A. McCandless, eds. 2020. Achieving Social Equity: From Problems to Solutions. Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh.

• Available for purchase at the IU bookstore or Amazon
• Free for in-house 2-hour loan at Business/SPEA Library Course Reserve (find more about how to use course reserve here)

Other Course Materials:

• Other course materials will be provided digitally on Canvas.
  • Access and use of a reliable computer/laptop/tablet and internet to view readings and assignments.
• Microsoft Office
  • Offered for free through IU Ware

Written submission materials must be submitted in either Microsoft word or a pdf. Other submission types will not be accepted