Politics and Public Administration (POG, POL, PPA)
POG
100
People, Power, and Politics
This course provides a critical introduction to the main themes in the study of politics, including state-building, nationalism, ideology, democracy, participation, development, security and globalization. We focus on the interrelated struggle for power and justice that lies at the heart of politics, raising questions crucial to informed, engaged citizenship: How do we define the "common good?" Who should wield power and why? How should power be shared? How should we resist the misuse of power?
Against a backdrop of political culture and ideology, this course will examine citizen participation in Canadian democracy through parliamentary and extra-parliamentary mechanisms. In particular, the course introduces the central components of the contemporary Canadian political system most visible to citizens: political parties, elections, the media and polling, and pressure/interest groups. (Canadian)
Understanding who gets what, when, where, and how requires analysis of power and authority and their location in a political system. This course examines the role and powers of the Constitution including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the legislature, the courts, and other Canadian institutions. In careers where the hand of Government is visible, awareness of these institutions and of their influence in the Canadian political process is essential. (Canadian)
There are a number of difficult and controversial policy topics in Canada at any given time, such as: gun-control; marijuana regulation; anti-terrorism; the sex worker trade; blue gold (clean water); and copyright and creative ownership. This course will examine a selection of these for their underlying power dynamics (Who gets what, when, where, and how?) in order to understand what lies behind our political differences and what this might mean for our future. (Policy) (Formerly POG 314).
This course will introduce students to the emerging institutions and practices of global governance, how they are reconfiguring the relative powers and sovereignty of nation states and how they are being contested by critical social movements. These institutions and practices include: the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), World Trade Organization (WTO), free trade agreements, and the US-led war against terrorism. The course will focus on political and economic restructuring in the post-Cold War period but will situate contemporary developments against the history of the post WWII period and its modes of global governance. (Global)
As an introductory course, no familiarity with the fundamental elements of research or statistics is assumed. The course gives Politics students the practical methods needed to statistically describe and analyze phenomena and to present those results. Emphasis throughout the course is on practical uses and application of these techniques, rather than on their mathematical derivations.
The central consideration of politics is the attainment of the "good society." The history of Western political thought can be seen as an ongoing contestation of what we mean by the "good society" and what kind of political and social institutions are required for its realization. This course charts the history and contemporary relevance of these debates with a special focus on the idea of democracy from the ancient to the modern world. (Theory) (Formerly POG 330.)
This course offers insights to some of the central questions in the study of politics: Why do countries democratize? What explains differences in the institutions of government? And do these differences matter? What is the relationship between democracy and economic development? We will explore these questions by examining politics in a range of countries both developed and developing. The approach of the course is organized around important themes, not particular countries. (Comparative) (Formerly POG 340.)
Much of the political action in the Canadian political system occurs at the provincial level, where many important issues confronting citizens are addressed, yet most Canadians know little about their provincial governments. This course examines the main elements of provincial governance in comparative context. Looking at ideological, economic, social and political factors, the course follows a critical and explanatory approach to understanding and evaluating provincial governance. (Canadian)
Race and Ethnicity in Canada explores theories of race and related systems and practices of ethnicity, gender and multiculturalism and their impact on politics in Canada. The course is premised on the understanding that racial classifications are objective structures determining access to resources, opportunity and power in the Canadian political economy. The course also explores responses to racism by the Canadian state, key institutions and minority groups in efforts to address racism, including race relations, anti-racism and Canada's multiculturalism policy. (Canadian)
This course encourages students to think critically about what public policies might advance "human" rights. It examines the development of human rights thinking in Canada as reflected in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canada Human Rights Act, provincial codes, landmark Supreme Court rulings relating to Aboriginal peoples, disability, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation, and internationally, in United Nations conventions, covenants and declarations. Students are encouraged to situate an understanding of human rights issues within a broader social, political and economic framework. (Canadian)
This course examines the politics of social policy in Canada. Beginning with an exploration of the origin and purpose of social policy, it then identifies and traces the actors and institutions that get a seat at the social policy table. Using examples that draw from a range of social policy fields including health and income support, this course will also offer comparative studies of social policy in relevant provincial and national jurisdictions. (Policy)
By focusing on recent educational changes, students will examine how politics and policy affect education. We will explore current political events that have influenced selected educational reforms from a variety of perspectives. While emphasis will be on Ontario's educational system, in relation to particular topics such as: diversity, leadership, social justice, equity issue, multiculturalism, and the changing role of educators, comparisons to other provincial and national educational systems will be included. (Policy)
Despite the historical expansion of formal citizenship to previously excluded groups, several groups have found that social inequality, marginalization and exclusion have limited national belonging, rights and political participation. This course explores these various experiences focusing on class, gender, race, immigrant, sexual, differently-abled, and Indigenous identities.
"Development" may be seen as the key framework through which the countries of the South are understood, acted upon, and incorporated into a global political economy dominated by the North. This course will trace the historical and theoretical evolution of this developmental project, from its colonial origins to the neoliberal present, introducing students to its major debates and policy shifts, issues and actors, as well as to the resistance and re-framing the project has engendered. (Global)
This course provides a critical examination of politics in Canadian cities and the regions that surround them. It explores the coping mechanisms of city-regions, when faced with such forces as physical, economic, and population growth; diversity; globalization; and provincially-mandated restructuring. Central themes include municipal institutions, their development and their operation, and the ways in which key interests interact within urban and suburban areas. (Canadian)
This course examines critically the politics of Canadian foreign policy. It will assess how much power and influence Canada has internationally; how much influence the world has on Canadian foreign affairs; and the factors shaping Canada's international policy choices. In considering these subjects, domestic and international institutions, structures, constraints, and influences will be examined. Potential policy issues to be addressed are: human security; the military; economic relations; human rights; peacekeeping/peacemaking; diplomacy; and development assistance. (Policy)
This course examines how governments set agendas, formulate, implement, and evaluate key economic policies. It focuses on the process and politics that are shaping policy in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the European Union. The course will mainly consider continuity and reversals in fiscal, monetary, competition, industrial, and other policy areas within the context of economic globalization. (Policy)
Through an examination of various environmental issues, this course provides an introduction to environmental politics and policy. It examines how cultural values, environmentalism as a social and political movement, levels of development, science, political institutions and economics shape environmental politics in Canada and other parts of the world. An important theme in the course is the challenge of environmental governance given the complexity, scale and equity dimensions of environmental problems. (Policy)
The decision taken in 1867 to create two levels of government in Canada - to create, in other words, a federal system - continues to shape Canadian politics to this day. This course explores Canadian federalism as it reflects and refracts a diverse set of communities (regional, linguistic, economic, political, social and ethnic) and attempts to find a balance between unity and diversity in a coherent and workable set of relationships and public policies. (Canadian)
This course provides a comparative analysis of US and Canadian politics and of international relations between the two countries. To this end, it explores the comparative history and political cultures of the two countries; the institutions of their respective political systems; elections, political parties and voting; regionalism; federalism; public policies; and specific Canadian-American issues like NAFTA, softwood lumber, mad-cow disease, security and the war against terrorism, Arctic sovereignty, Iraq and Afghanistan and other topics. (Canadian)
Nationalism and identity are examined in historical and contemporary perspectives. Historically, the concern is with the emergence of nation-states in Europe and the impact of colonialism on national identity formation. In the current context, attention is on the proliferation of ethnic and national conflicts in Asia and Africa, and Indigenous struggles in the Americas. These issues as well as identity politics and diaspora identities in the West are assessed through feminist, anti-racist, and anti-colonial outlooks. (Global)
Should universal human rights be considered a global norm? Or should concerns of national sovereignty and cultural pluralism take precedence? Discourses of human rights are powerful and ubiquitous and are used in many varied and complex ways in the contemporary world. This course will examine the historical emergence of human rights discourses in the West, their institutionalization, and their deployment in the contexts of the Cold War and the war on terror. A range of theories, critiques, and contemporary debates about human rights will be explored. (Global)
This course will examine the uneven development of regional economic integration efforts in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe within the context of a relationship between globalization and regionalization. It will analyze the relationship between regional institutions (such as NAFTA, EU, CARICOM and ASEAN) and international economic institutions (such as IMF and WTO). Finally the course will assess the economic, social and political implications of processes of regional integration for nation-states and their citizens. (Global)
This course explores the sources, effects and proposed resolutions of contemporary political conflicts. It examines typologies of conflict and violence, different explanations of current conflicts, the impact of globalization on the nature of political violence, and attempts (successful or otherwise) at conflict resolution. It complements this theoretical discussion with a detailed analysis of several studies of contemporary conflict drawn from various parts of the world: Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe or the Americas. (Global)
This course will survey critical perspectives on political life of the late twentieth century which emerged as critiques or alternative to liberalism from within and beyond the West. Perspectives or schools of thought to be covered will include: radical democracy, post-colonial studies, critical race theory, aboriginal political thought and feminist political theory. (Theory)
From Machiavelli's reflections on how a ruler might maintain power, to those of revolutionaries concerned with overthrowing it, political theorists have long grappled with the nature of power, and resistance to it. This course will engage these debates by examining liberal theorists focusing on political institutions, Marxists locating power in the structures of the capitalist state, and post-structuralists, feminists and anti-racists situating power in discursive knowledge and social categories such as race and gender. (Theory)
This course examines the social, political and historical context of Aboriginal peoples in Canada: their experiences of assimilation and autonomy; ongoing relations with the Canadian state; efforts toward self-government; treaty rights and land claims; contemporary issues of identity and self-actualization; and the Aboriginal relationship with the Canadian criminal justice system. (Comparative)
Does women's politics matter? What kinds of political struggles have women led? To what end? This course explores comparatively how women have mobilized to effect changes in such areas as violence, sexuality, reproduction, work, spirituality, family, culture, and political representation. It assesses the political gains and setbacks experienced by women in Canada and elsewhere, and the complicating impact of factors such as race, religion, immigrant status, Aboriginal status and sexual orientation on those experiences. (Comparative)
Developments in the 20th century pushed some issues beyond the reach of national governments while simultaneously challenging urban areas to address such matters as deindustrialization and the emergence of "world cities;" immigration, migration and multiculturalism; and urban ecology - while also providing efficient and democratic urban governance. Are cities up to the task? This course takes the measure of some modern challenges, examines their roots, and explores various urban responses. (Comparative)
This course examines the interplay of media, technology and politics. The mass media has affected politics and society from the earliest times, and has profoundly transformed how we communicate about, and perceive, political ideas. Possible issues to be discussed in this course include the relationship between print and the rise of modern democracy; the damaging impacts of television on contemporary politics, especially election campaigns; and the emerging political influences of the Internet. In addition, the course will analyze the structure of ownership of global media systems and its impact on international communications. (Comparative)
Representative democracy is virtually unthinkable without voters, elections and political parties. Citizens' decisions are aggregated at elections; electoral systems translate these decisions into legislative seats. Competition between parties in electoral, parliamentary and governing arenas generates much of the business and high drama at the heart of representative politics. This course focuses on how voters make decisions; how those decisions are translated into seats; and how political parties interact with voters and with each other to produce public policy. (Comparative)
This course is intended for students who seek to combine relevant paid or unpaid field experience with their academic course work. With prior approval (which must be obtained one semester in advance), it may be used in connection with internships or work at agencies or other appropriate businesses and organizations - in Canada and abroad - or for research and/or experience related to politics and governance. In all cases the project will involve a writing component. Students who have successfully completed POG 210 or POG 225 will be considered for enrollment.
An introduction to government in Canada, this course is based on the assumption that an understanding of the Canadian political institutions is especially important for those who anticipate a career in Social Work. In particular, the course examines the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the civil service. Central concepts include democracy, representation, and active citizenship. (Formerly POL 27A) (POL 101 and POL 102 are equivalent to POL 27A/B).
An introduction to Canadian politics, this course is based on the assumption that an understanding of the processes of Canadian government is especially important for those who anticipate a career in Social Work. In particular, the course introduces the central components of the political process, including political parties, elections, the media and polling, and pressure/interest groups. Contemporary issues in Canadian politics such as gender, race, region, and Aboriginality will also be discussed. (Formerly POL 27B) (POL 101 and 102 are equivalent to POL 27A/B).
Political systems may be judged by how well they meet their citizens' basic human needs. What is the role of politics in satisfying human needs? How have major political theorists treated the relationship between human needs and government? What are the major obstacles in the contemporary world that stand in the way of meeting basic human needs and how might these be overcome?
This course examines critically the structure, function, and politics of municipal governments in Canada's large urban centres in relation to the profession and practice of urban and regional planning. Topics discussed include the relationship between municipalities and other levels of government; local finance; local democracy; political and administrative structures; and historic, present, and future pressures for reform.
Films often mirror society in both intentional and unintentional ways. Some are overtly political, some reflect changing values and some are made purely for entertainment. This course will reflect on the various political perspectives which enable students to critically assess films. It will unravel the relationship between politics and film. It will assess the role films play in reinforcing or debunking stereotypes. These themes will be examined in the context of the film industry in Canada.
Canada is often described as a country of immigrants. By examining Canada's immigrant tradition, this course introduces students to a number of distinctive characteristics of Canada as a political community. Topics and themes include: changes in Canadian immigration policies; immigration and Canadian identity; how global migration is transforming modern politics; and the nature of human rights in an age of migration. Is Canada becoming a uniquely multicultural political community?
What can humans do to reverse the environmental problems they have created? What political actions are required? This course surveys the social, cultural, economic and political reasons for global and local environmental problems. Emphasis is placed on different political contexts, approaches and solutions to environmental problems in the North and South. Case studies and audio-visuals are used.
This course examines political conflict and instability in world politics. What are the political consequences of globalization? Why is nationalism and ethnic intolerance on the rise? What explains the eruption of political unrest and war? These issues are explored through current examples of political upheaval around the world. (POL 208 is not available for credit to students who choose POG 225.)
LL
Lect: 3 hrs.
Antirequisite: POG 225, Restriction: International Economics and Finance
This course examines the development and role of social policy in Canada. A major theme is the ideas, values and beliefs which shaped income support, health care and education policy and the impact of the welfare state on individual well being and opportunity. The course will focus on the politics of social policy and the factors which have led to the erosion of the welfare state in Canada.
Tut: 1 hr./Lect: 2 hrs.
Antirequisites: POG 210, POG 316, POL 27B, POL 302, POL 332
Have women come a long way? What is feminism? How do racial minority, aboriginal, immigrant, or lesbian women differ in the way in which they prioritize political and social issues? What about the impact of religion, class and disability? This course examines public policies in Canada relating to women and work (the "glass ceiling", gender segregated labour force, domestic labour), sexuality (harassment, violence), health (reproductive technology), family, and political representation. How do different women identify directions for change? (POL 501 is not available for credit to students who choose POG 442.)
How does technology shape society? How does it shape us? On what basis are decisions made in a technological society? What type of future will modern technology create? Who is in control? This course will examine the impact of technology on cultural, economic and political life in modern society. The political implications of future developments in reproductive and biotechnologies, global communications, automation, etc. will be evaluated.
This course begins with an examination of homosexuality and heterosexuality as social constructs; examines the politicisation of sexual diversity and identity; and explores the place of diverse sexual identities in heterosexist society. Particular attention will be given to the way in which public policy at all levels is influenced (or not) by recognition of sexual minorities. (POL 510 is not available for credit to students who choose SWP 910.)
Canadians are experiencing major changes in individual well-being and opportunity. A changing job market and growing differences in income combined with dramatic increases in university, tuition, decreases in benefits from income support programs and greater reliance on for-profit health care services have altered Canadians' ability to secure their futures. This course examines the rise and decline of the welfare state: how and why these changes in well-being and opportunity are taking place.
Students will be introduced to the key issues in Third World Politics. What is the Third World? What are the political, economic, social and cultural factors that account for many problems currently facing the Third World? Why are debt, hunger, authoritarianism and political instability seemingly endemic to Third World countries? Who makes decisions about economic development, gender inequality, human rights, political stability and democracy?
This course addresses the key theoretical elements in neo-liberalism, the dominant ideology directing local, national and global events today. From a critical analytical standpoint, we examine the key features of neoliberalism and how it influences political and economic decisions and generates new forms of governance in the early 21st century. We also explore some of the critiques of neoliberalism and the alternative discourses and forms of governance offered by its critics.
In December 1999, what has come to be known as the "anti-globalization movement" burst onto the world stage through its shut-down of the Seattle meetings of the World Trade Organization. This course will examine this movement, its historical roots, its manifestations North and South, and the ways in which it is continuous and discontinuous with the "new social movements" of the late 20th century. Students will be introduced to the major approaches and debates in the academic study of social movements. Emphasis will be placed on understanding social movements historically and in context, especially in view of developments in political economy, expansions/contractions in popular democracy, and the impact of information technologies.
This course examines the role of technology within a global context. What will it mean to be part of a global audience, work in a global factory, shop in a global supermarket, be governed by a world government? Can technology help to solve problems of environmental depletion and pollution? What role does technology play in escalating militarism around the world? Can technology reduce the gap between the rich and the poor within nations and between nations?
Colonialism and imperialism have affected the lives of peoples for centuries and their impact continues to shape the political, economic and cultural life of contemporary communities in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Foundational to this course are issues of dispossession, identity, power and resistance in colonial and post-colonial societies and contemporary imperialism. Course readings and case studies compare and contrast experiences in selected countries from Asia, Africa and the Americas.
"Living next to you," Pierre Trudeau once told an American audience, "is like sleeping with an elephant; no matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt." This course evaluates: the cultural, political, economic and ideological twitches and grunts in the Canada-US relationship; what it means to sleep with an elephant; being Canadian in the presence of so large a continental "partner;" and the emerging role of Mexico.
Enrolment in the Practicum Option and this course requires evidence of at least two years of full-time and appropriate work experience relevant to the application of knowledge and skills in public administration. Students must also have completed PPA333 and at least seven of the courses in Required Group 3 in order to be enrolled in this course. Students will conduct reviews of literature relevant to their practicum project, and a substantive research paper drawing on those reviews and their public sector work environment and experience. (Formerly PPA30A/B).
The student will propose a topic in public policy for independent study, research, and analysis. The research paper topic is authorized, supervised, and evaluated by a member of faculty. Students are advised to take this course near the end of their program studies. (Formerly PPA 31A/B).
This course looks at contemporary public administration in democratic society. It is examined in light of alternative methods of organization, including that of the private sector, as well as our fundamental requisites for democracy, such as the rule of law. It also examines the role of the machinery of government in maintaining the public system of administration as it undergoes contemporary attempts to restructure the role of the state under the ongoing demands of its leaders and citizenry. Formerly PPA 322.
This course introduces the process of leading and managing the public sector in Canada with an emphasis on the problems of political and administrative accountability. Students are introduced to the structure and process of policy formulation, implementation and evaluation; as well as to topics in intergovernmental relations; and the impact of public-private partnerships. The prime foci are the budgetary process, issues in personnel management and the drive for economies and efficiencies; government regulation, and e-government. (Formerly PPA 422.)
In analyzing Canada's federal political system, this course assesses the ideas, interests and institutions that help define the limits of both state and societal power. It will provide students with a clear understanding of the workings of the system of governance guiding their everyday lives as citizens and as professionals. Topics include political culture and ideas; the social and economic context; and the constitutional and institutional mechanisms of governance. (Formerly POL 302, POL332)
The Government of Ontario plays a central role in the lives of Ontarians, taking responsibility for such things as health, education, transportation, and municipal governments. It is also a major player in the economies of the province and the country. This course examines the structure and operation of the Ontario government, as well as the ideological, economic, social, and political forces at work in the making and operating of the government.
The principal focus of this course is municipal institutions, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area. Topics discussed include local government and democratic theory, the impact of urbanization and "glocalization," political and administrative structures, provincial-municipal relations, local finance, and the influence of major actors such as business, labour and citizens groups. The course will end with a study of the major challenges in achieving healthy and sustainable cities. (Formerly POL 122).
This course examines the social, political, legal, and historical context of Indigenous peoples in Canada and their political mobilization. Through an exploration of key challenges, flash points, and current issues, the course will foster a better understanding of Indigenous efforts around self-government, nation-building, recognition/implementation of Aboriginal and treaty rights, land claims, and the socio-economic gap that disadvantages Indigenous peoples in Canada.
This course provides a critical examination of how the State manages the issue of human rights. It explores the development of human rights through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the Canada Human Rights Act; provincial codes; landmark judicial rulings; and the impact of United Nations conventions, covenants and declarations on Canadian state practices. Students are encouraged to situate an understanding of human rights issues within a broader social, political, economic and public administration framework.
This course offers both a thematic and a practical introduction to the Canadian public policy-making process, beginning with the context in which ideas, institutions and interests inform public policy. With the use of a variety of contemporary social, economic and environment policy cases, the course examines the process by which public policy is formulated, implemented and evaluated - including its success rate. Lastly, the changing nature of, and contemporary challenges to, policy making are explored. (Formerly PPA 623).
This course examines major theoretical perspectives on modern industrial states, including pluralism, neoliberalism, Marxism and feminism. An effort is made to relate each perspective to relevant political issues of the day. In the final section of the course a number of thematic issues are considered from the perspective of state theory such as the role of social movements in shaping state policies and the impact of globalization on democracy and the viability of the nation-state. (Formerly PPA 525).
This course examines the statutory and regulatory basis of Canadian public administration. The course explores existing techniques of control of delegated power and their role in influencing conduct. It analyses the regulatory function of administration, as well as the institutional and procedural characteristics and practices of administrative tribunals and judicial review. (Formerly PPA 629).
This course will provide students with an overview of public sector planning and budgetary processes, the financial management systems within governmental organizations, and mechanisms for ensuring accountability. Changing structures of accountability and the merging of private and public sector budgeting, planning and management principles will be critically evaluated. Students will also be given hands on training in accessing the financial and budgetary information relevant to public and parapublic organizations. (Formerly PPA 600).
This course examines how labour, employers and government interact to regulate how Canadians work. Students will acquire an enriched understanding of the employment environment in their career field. An historical context is first established to explain the evolution of work, unions and government labour policy in Canada. The course then examines the legislative framework before exploring such controversial employment issues as union organising, public sector collective bargaining, strikes, minimum wage, overtime, and health and safety issues. (Formerly POG 319).
This is a one-semester course utilizing both lecture and lab experience. No familiarity with the fundamental elements of research or statistics is assumed. The course gives students of public administration the practical methods needed to statistically describe and analyze phenomena and to present those results. Emphasis throughout the course is on practical uses and application of these techniques, rather than on their mathematical derivations. (Formerly PPA 524).
This course surveys different approaches to organization and bureaucracy in advanced industrial societies. The major focus is on the exercise of power and control in organizations and the implications of this for different organizational groups. The course also examines a number of areas about which traditional approaches have been relatively silent, especially those dealing with race, gender and class. Another major theme of the course involves analysis of the changing nature of work, focusing on how new information technologies have affected the distribution of power and control in the workplace. (Formerly PPA 624).
This course examines the expanding use of "partnerships" between government and other agents, both public and private, in the delivery of "public goods". Challenged by fiscal pressures and demands for more involvement in policy-making and delivery of services, governments have experimented with new mechanisms ranging from integrated procurement to networked regulation. This course will consider the ideological drivers, management practices and consequences of these new administrative arrangements on governance, public administration and democracy. (Formerly PPA 601).
When governments choose to intervene in a policy area, they create programs. This course examines the process by which planning and evaluation of government programs takes place and explores the various methods that are used to determine whether programs are achieving their objectives. Programs in a broad range of areas will be examined, including health, criminal justice, education, welfare, environment, housing, poverty, and development. (Formerly PPA 602).
Deployment of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in public administration has influenced the state¿s internal operations, modes of service delivery, and interactions between the state and society. The course examines e-government policy, e-administration, e-service, and e-democracy. It also investigates key challenges e-government faces: privacy and security, digital divide, and legal infrastructure. (Formerly POG413).
In recent years, the public sector has undergone significant changes. Nothing less than a "reinventing" of how the administrative state functions, its role within society and the economy, and its size and scope is under way. Transformations within the public sector have been both broad and rapid. In this environment of fundamental restructuring, many new and pressing issues related to public administration continuously arise. This course is designed to be responsive to addressing key issues which emerge in the rapidly evolving public sector of today. Consequently, the issues covered by this course will change from year to year. (Formerly PPA 604).
Contemporary public policy has become inherently comparative in nature, as decision-makers and citizens demand that policy initiatives be justified in relation to what is happening in other jurisdictions. What are the trends and leading indicators of policy change today? Does globalization necessarily undermine the capacity of nation states to address domestic concerns? A comparative analysis of policy areas including health, immigration, human rights, environment may help explain why, and to what extent, political decision-makers really have choice. (Formerly PPA 603).
This course examines both the formal and informal relations between the federal and provincial governments of Canada, as well as the effect these relations have on Canadian politics and public policies. Themes include national unity and regional diversity, elite decision making and democratic participation, the Aboriginal question, Quebec separation, and the effects of federal/provincial turf wars on social, environment and economic policies and programs. The course culminates in a 1st Minster's Conference simulation. (Formerly PPA 650).
Lect: 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: POG210 or (POL101 and POL 102) or POL 332 or PPA 120, Antirequisite: POG 416
This course examines the key issues in contemporary comparative indigenous policy and politics by comparing both the similarities and the differences between the North American experience and that of indigenous people from other lands. What are the key political and economic processes that characterize the challenges and problems currently facing indigenous nations and communities in regions around the world? The relevance of Aboriginal knowledge and wisdom to the search for solutions to contemporary environmental problems and survival issues is examined.
This course examines the role of public/private partnerships in the economic development and delivery of services in Aboriginal communities. The challenges and opportunities of First Nations communities partnering with private and public sector organizations will be assessed, particularly in the context of governance and administration issues.
This course examines the statutory and regulatory basis of public administration in the context of First Nations communities. It analyzes the regulatory function of administration, as well as the institutional and procedural characteristics and practices of administrative tribunal and judicial review, and assesses their relevance for First Nations communities and peoples.
This course introduces students to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), with an in-depth focus on mediation. The course combines basic theory and concepts of ADR and conflict analysis or diagnosis, along with applying ADR in practical situations within Aboriginal communities. Students will assess the relevance of ADR and mediation within an Aboriginal context, and formulate appropriate adaptations.
Lect: 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: PA 124 or POG440, Antirequisite: ACS 201
This course is designed to be responsive to addressing key issues which emerge in the rapidly evolving establishment of Aboriginal governance. Consequently, the issues covered by this course will change from year to year. Possible areas of study include Indian Act reform, Social Policy in the context of Self-Governance, Bill C - 31, Citizenship, the Constitution and Off-Reserve Peoples.
This course will examine alternative models of development for Aboriginal communities. Fundamental concepts of development and progress will be assessed in the context of aboriginal culture and traditions. Examples of alternative and sustainable development in other jurisdictions will be evaluated in terms of their relevance for First Nations communities and nations within Canada.
