Ethics in Public Policy from Coursera

Welcome to the course Ethics in Public Policy! This course will help you learn about the role that ethical, moral, and cultural principles play when lawmakers and public officials formulate and execute public policy.

This course draws upon classical writings in political theory and contemporary cases on ethical dilemmas in public policymaking. It will enable you to debate various ethics themes such as justice, equality, fairness, individual liberty, free enterprise, charity, human rights, and minimising harm to others. It will also help you grasp how these themes integrate into various decision-making models, such as the utilitarian approach, fairness and justice approach, and rights approach. This course will help you examine these models in a real-life context to help balance competing interests to make the best decision.

In this course, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges that stand at the crossroads between moral and practical decision-making as a real-life practitioner. You will find answers to questions such as if tolerance is a virtue in public policies that risk challenging constitutional norms, what could be the ethical implications of state violence in the name of national interest, and if it would be a good ethical policy to building dams to generate electricity for more people by displacing the inhabitants of that area. With the help of case studies, this course will help you dive deep into the dilemmas faced by the policymakers (both elected and appointed). It will also help you find some middle-ground that is morally just and optimizes social purpose.

What's inside

Syllabus

Utilitarianism and Libertarianism

This module introduces you to the theories that form the very first strand of ethics – consequentialism. It will help you take an ethical approach to choose between gun or butter, war or peace, organ transplant or primary health care, equality or discrimination, and abortion or stem cell. It will allow you to use positive results as a basis for evaluating human actions. You will dive deep into the consequentialists’ theories, for example, Utilitarian, and learn about the greatest possible increase of pleasure over pain and the maximum possible satisfaction of preferences of welfare economics.

Justice as Fairness

This module introduces you to the views of philosophers like Rawls and Marx in achieving justice and fairness in public policy. It will help you understand fairness and deal with questions such as how fair is affirmative action, are the electoral constituencies drawn to be fair, and how fair is our method of funding schools. This module also focuses on the fundamentals of justice as the central core of morality. You will discern how questions of justice and fairness inevitably arise when decisions are made regarding the distribution of benefits and burdens amongst various groups. This module refers to the Supreme Court judgment on contemporary cases, like Narmada Sagar Dams to build upon the concepts.

Ethics and Economic Policy

“Modern high-tech warfare is designed to remove physical contact: dropping bombs from 50,000 feet ensures that one does not 'feel' what one does. Modern economic management is similar… from one’s luxury hotel, one can callously impose policies about which one would think twice if one knew the people whose lives one was destroying.” – Joseph Stiglitz. In this module, you will gain an in-depth understanding of ethics and its role in economic policy-making. You will discover the role that policymakers play in planning and formulating ethical economic policies. You will delve into how ethical policy-making can promote both growth and development.

Ethics and Social Security

Is it fair to tax the young for the government to provide a generous retirement program for able-bodied seniors? Social security has come a long way from the initial moral precepts of caring for aging parents. With the government benefits supporting us from birth to death, we are slowly becoming one-issue voters with fewer concerns for the nation’s future. In this module, you will explore the various implications of social security funding, its moral groundings, and sustainability. It will help you understand the social security benefits. It will also help you examine the role of the government in providing social security benefits to the poor. You will comprehend the binds policymakers face regarding social security.

Equality of What?

Amartya Sen in 1979 showed the world that wellbeing is not just a question of wealth or pleasure that a person has; it is a question of how people manage to live their lives and the ability to do certain things important to them. He developed the ‘capability approach’, which focuses on the people’s actual capability and freedom to live the kind of life they value. In this module, you will learn about Sen’s capability approach. It will help you understand the concept of equality and how to achieve true equality. You will analyze how to design public policies with a focus on achieving equality. You will also examine the role that policymakers play in designing such policies to promote equality.

Ethics in Global Governance

In this module, you will gain an in-depth understanding of global and ethical governance. It will help you describe how to make governance more ethical. You will explore how thinking and acting ethically in anarchy can be difficult for all actors in the international arena, where there is no governance. You will also analyze how policymakers affect the ethical nature of governance.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores ethical principles and their impact on public policy, which is highly relevant to public policymaking

Taught by Swetasree Roy, who are recognized for their work in ethics, public policy, and political theory

Examines real-life case studies, which is highly relevant to public policy practitioners

Builds a strong foundation for understanding ethical dilemmas and decision-making in public policy

Develops ethical reasoning skills, which are core skills for public policy professionals

This course explicitly requires that this course be taken in serial with others as part of a series

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Ethics in Public Policy with these activities:

Organize your course materials

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This activity will help you stay organized and on top of your coursework.

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Create a system for organizing your notes, handouts, and other course materials
Make sure you have a good way to keep track of your assignments and deadlines
Back up your work regularly

Review your notes from previous courses

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This activity will help you refresh your memory on key concepts from previous courses.

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Review your notes from previous courses in political theory and ethics
Make a list of key concepts that you need to review
Find online resources or textbooks that can help you review these concepts

Watch video lectures on ethics in public policy

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This activity will allow you to learn from experts in the field at your own pace.

Browse courses on Ethics

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Find video lectures on ethics in public policy
Watch the lectures and take notes
Review your notes and make sure you understand the material

Six other activities

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Read 'Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?'

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Sandel's book will expose you to the major issues and debates in ethics and political philosophy.

View The Tyranny of Merit on Amazon

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Read Chapter 1: 'The Enigma of Justice'
Read Chapter 2: 'The Duty of Beneficence'
Prepare a 3-minute summary of the main arguments of these chapters
Discuss the implications of these arguments for your own views on justice

Join a study group

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Working with other students can help you understand the course material more deeply and prepare for exams.

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Find a group of students who are interested in studying together
Set up a time and place to meet
Discuss the course material together
Prepare for exams together

Practice answering exam questions

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This activity will help you prepare for exams by practicing answering questions similar to the ones you will see on the actual exam.

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Find practice questions online or in textbooks
Set a timer and practice answering the questions under timed conditions
Review your answers and identify areas where you need to improve

Attend a workshop on ethics in public policy

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This activity will allow you to learn from experts in the field and network with other professionals.

Browse courses on Ethics

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Find a workshop that interests you
Register for the workshop
Attend the workshop
Network with other professionals

Write a policy memo

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This activity will allow you to apply the concepts you learn in class to a real-world problem.

Browse courses on Policy Analysis

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Choose a policy issue that interests you
Research the issue
Develop a policy proposal
Write a policy memo outlining your proposal

Create a podcast episode

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This activity will allow you to delve deeply into a specific ethical issue and share your findings with others.

Browse courses on Ethical Decision-Making

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Choose an ethical issue that interests you
Research the issue thoroughly
Interview experts on the issue
Write a script for your podcast episode
Record and edit your episode

Career center

Learners who complete Ethics in Public Policy will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Public Administrator

Public Administrators oversee the implementation of public policy. This course will help you understand the ethical considerations that public administrators must take into account when making decisions, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Legislator

Legislators create and pass laws that impact public policy. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide legislators, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts use their knowledge of public policy to analyze data, conduct research, and recommend solutions to public issues. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide policymakers, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Government Relations Manager

Government Relations Managers build relationships with policymakers on behalf of their organizations. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide government relations managers, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Lobbyist

Lobbyists represent special interests before policymakers. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide lobbyists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers oversee the operations of nonprofit organizations that work to address public issues. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide nonprofit managers, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Theologian

Theologians study religion and its impact on society. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide theologians, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Philosopher

Philosophers study the nature of reality, knowledge, and ethics. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide philosophers, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Sociologist

Sociologists study society and social issues. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide sociologists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Lawyer

Lawyers may specialize in public policy law, representing clients on matters related to public policy. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide lawyers, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Anthropologist

Anthropologists study human societies and cultures. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide anthropologists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Economist

Economists analyze economic data and provide advice to policymakers. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide economists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Political Scientist

Political Scientists study political systems and public policy. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide political scientists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Historian

Historians study the past and its impact on the present. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide historians, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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Journalist

Journalists report on public policy issues and hold policymakers accountable. This course will help you understand the ethical principles that guide journalists, which will be essential for your success in this role.

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