New Directions for Research on Social Policy and Organizational Practices

Sponsors and Organizers

This working conference is sponsored by the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

The conference has been organized by Evelyn Brodkin, University of Chicago; Ann Lin, University of Michigan; Yeheskel Hasenfeld, UCLA; Marcia Meyers, University of Washington; and Kristin Seefeldt, University of Michigan.

Attendance

Attendance at this event is by invitation only, and space is very limited. For more information, contact Kristin Seefeldt at [email protected].

Agenda

Day 1 (Monday, July 11)

10:00 am: Welcome and Introductions

10:15: Overview of Event: Bringing Organizations Into Research on Poverty Policy.

Evelyn Brodkin, University of Chicago

10:45: Why Workers in Organizations Matter. (Evelyn Brodkin, moderator)

The Decline in Welfare Caseloads: An Organizational Perspective
Marcia Meyers, University of Washington

Relationship-Building in a Contracting Environment.
Janice Johnson, University of Michigan
Steven Maynard-Moody, University of Kansas

12:15: Lunch

1:45: The Worker/Client Intersection (Kristin Seefeldt, Moderator)

Worker-Client Interactions as Key to Understanding Policy Effects.
Zeke Hasenfeld, UCLA

Making Clients and Citizens: Welfare Policy as a Source of Status, Belief, and Action.
Joe Soss, University of Wisconsin

3:15: Break

3:30: Responses from Policy Researchers.
Tom Brock, MDRC
Alan Werner, Abt Associates

4:15: Small Breakout Group Discussions.

5:15: Wrap up for first day- Where we are, what's to come.

6:30: Reception and Dinner, Zanzibar Restaurant.

Day 2 (Tuesday, July 12)

8:00 am: Continental Breakfast

9:00: Panel 1: The usefulness of an organizational perspective to implementation studies: substantive and methodological challenges.

Pamela Holcomb, The Urban Institute
Ann Lin, University of Michigan

10:30: Break

10:45: Panel 2 - Going beyond staff and client surveys: benefits, costs and challenges.

Donna Pavetti, Mathematica Policy Research
Celeste Watkins, Northwestern University

12:15: Lunch

1:30: Discussion and wrap-up

Evelyn Brodkin, University of Chicago