In order to achieve key policy goals, public policies must be effectively implemented. Administrative burdens, which are the onerous experiences that people encounter when trying to access a public benefit or service, significantly impact policy implementation, frequently undermining key goals that policies were created to achieve. This course will focus on those administrative burdens. A series of key questions drive this course, and will shape each class session, as well as the related coursework and assignments. Developing a knowledge base and analytical skill set to answer these questions serve as the main goals for this class.
1) What administrative burdens do people encounter when accessing varying public services and benefits?
2) How do administrative burdens impact people, including their access to public services or rights, as well as their civic beliefs and engagement with the state?
3) How are burdens distributed? Some groups may be more affected than others.
4) Through what processes (e.g. legislative, administrative etc.) do burdens emerge and why are they created?
5) Are there ways to minimize administrative burdens while maintaining important public service values?
As a result of this course (combined with your own experience and skills), you should be able to recognize and define administrative burdens at all levels of government, to offer insightful advice about their relative utility, that is, do the benefits of burdens outweigh their costs, and offer good suggestions concerning how to reduce them.
