Dr Babken Babajanian

This course is available on the Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-Columbia), Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-Sciences Po), Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-University of Toronto), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Columbia), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Hertie), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and NUS), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Sciences Po), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Tokyo), Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is capped at 30 students.  This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically very high. Priority is given to students from the School of Public Policy, students from other programmes will be considered if places remain.

Students from outside the School of Public Policy will need to have some previous policy experience.

The aim of this half-unit course is to help students develop knowledge, critical analysis and skills necessary for evidence-informed policy making. It will enable students to assess, analyse, interpret and use evidence to design relevant and effective interventions. The course particularly emphasises design and implementation arrangements that recognise the complexity of economic, social, institutional and political contexts and allow the promotion of social inclusion, diversity and gender equality in public policies. The course will equip students with the knowledge and skills to critically appraise how government agencies, international organisations and other actors generate and utilise evidence to design and implement policies and programmes.

The course covers evidence generation and use during three main stages of the policy cycle: policy design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. It introduces theory-based approaches and examines the use of social, gender, governance and political-economy analysis to inform policy design and implementation. It discusses the role of monitoring and evaluation in producing nuanced policy-relevant evidence.

The course draws on policies and programmes in the field of social policy and social development in a global context. In seminars, students will review and critically assess policy reports and research studies of actual policies and programmes. They will scrutinise different assessment tools developed and used by government agencies and international organisations (e.g. World Bank, ADB, Inter-American Development Bank) for gathering policy relevant evidence.

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum of 27 hours across Michaelmas Term. 

1. Seminar presentations on assigned topics and contribution to seminar discussions.  Each student is expected to do at least one presentation.

2. An essay answering a pre-assigned question (800 words)

3. A short individually-authored policy report (1,000 words)

Parkhurst, J. (2017) The Politics of Evidence, From Evidence-based Policy to the Good Governance of Evidence, Routledge: London and New York

Cartwright, N and J. Hardie (2012) Evidence-Based Policy: A Practical Guide to Doing It Better, Oxford University Press

Chaplin, D., Twigg, J. and E. Lovell (2019), Intersectional approaches to vulnerability reduction and resilience-building, ODI, London

Holmes, R. and N. Jones (2013) Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World: Beyond Mothers and Safety Nets, Zed Books: London and New York.

Fritz, V., Levy, B. and R. Ort (2014) Problem-driven Political Economy Analysis: The World Bank's Experience, Directions in Development - Public Sector Governance, World Bank: Washington, DC.

Essay (30%) in the AT.
Policy report (70%) in the WT.

Students will be required to complete two assignments designed to support the main learning outcomes of the course:

1. An essay (30%), in which students answer a pre-assigned question, drawing on literature and course material (max 1,000 words). This assessment will support student learning of the main debates, issues and critiques and will help consolidate their disciplinary and methodological knowledge.
2. An individually-authored policy report (70%) drawing on relevant literature and course material (max 3,000 words).

This assessment will support students' ability to appraise policies and programmes; evaluate, analyse, interpret and use evidence; design analytical frameworks; prepare and present written critiques; and write policy reports.