This course is designed to immerse students in a major research project of their own design. By the end of the two-semester course, students will be required to produce a polished paper, which can later be incorporated into their...
International trade policy can influence a country´s economic performance. Many countries have entered agreements, legally binding and more enforceable than other international law, by which they reciprocally commit their trade policies…and...
This course explores various approaches to civil rights policy, including efforts to prevent discrimination, to "level the playing field," to create equality, and to provide...
The main idea that we want to get across is implicit in the title: Systematic thinking - largely from the social sciences, but with the application of scientific methods and knowledge more generally - can make a significant difference in the way...
No metropolis played a greater role in shaping the Twentieth Century world than did Detroit. This course focuses upon the history and future of Detroit emphasizing the private and governmental policies that now seek to revitalize the...
This course seeks to make students sensitive to and articulate about the ways in which moral and political values come into play in the American policy process, particularly as they affect non-elected public officials who work in a world shaped...
Policy seminars are open only to undergraduates enrolled in the Ford School. These small, interdisciplinary courses will focus on particular public policy issues as reflected in the title of the...
Policy seminars are open only to undergraduates enrolled in the Ford School. These small, interdisciplinary courses will focus on particular public policy issues as reflected in the title of the...
Detroit was the nation’s most important city in the Twentieth Century because of the the auto industry, the emergence of the blue collar middle class and development of the New Deal. Now it is the most negatively stereotyped city in the...
In this course, and largely borrowing on the experience of the professor as Trade Minister in a small, middle-income country, we will discuss the practical links between trade policy and the variety of issues that challenge poor societies in...
Democracy and Education --- When Americans write about democracy and education, they typically write about the constructive effects that education can have for democracy by improving future citizens' knowledge, political judgment, capacity for...
What goes on in city government is in many ways more important to our lives than what happens in Washington. This course goes beyond the structure and theory of municipal government to look at how things really happen at the local...
Is Congress too partisan? Can Congress fulfill its legislative and oversight functions? Do the executive and judicial branches effectively control public policy formulation? Have the State Legislatures become the true "laboratories of...
Although the American research university serves as a key source of basic research, advanced education, and infrastructure critical to the nation’s welfare, it faces many challenges such as shifting public policies, changing demographics,...
Five successful academicians from a variety of disciplines will discuss their work and perspectives regarding racial justice and public policy. April, 2024.
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams addresses the challenges to American democracy, her work to guarantee voter access, and other civil rights battles facing the United States in 2024. April, 2024.
National social policy leader Cecilia Muñoz, in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes will reflect on her eight years in the Obama administration and domestic policy work on the Biden transition team. April, 2024.
Luke Shaefer will examine the latest research and evidence with Mary Pattillo of Northwestern University, Darrick Hamilton at The New School, and the Ford School's Natasha Pilkauskas, associate professor of public policy. April, 2024.
Federal Reserve Bank Vice Chair Michael Barr, former dean of the Ford School, discusses the workings of the Fed, his work on banking reform, and the lessons of leadership he has learned. March, 2024.
The Washington Post examines both the devastation caused by AR-15 assault rifles as well as its allure for segments of American society, in a 14-part series. January, 2024.
The 2023 Mayors Forum will focus on topics particular to Big Ten college cities including development of infrastructure that promotes social cohesion, challenges and opportunities of creating an infrastructure for urban technology, and campus and
Abdul El-Sayed and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Michigan Senator Stephanie Chang reflect on their work to address environmental injustice in Michigan and beyond, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. March, 2023.
