Fall 2024 - 60309 - PA 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy

Philanthropic Studies is a vibrant area of interdisciplinary and international scholarship, teaching, and professional practice with relevance to many academic disciplines and fields that include political science, sociology, journalism, media studies, government, third sector studies, history, and public affairs, among many others. Yet even though “philanthropy is everywhere” as experts have noted, its influence in setting and advancing agendas for social and policy change is often invisible to many. The goal of this course is to make the philanthropic sectors in the U.S. and around the world visible to students with an interest public affairs issues like climate change, international development, human and civil rights, economic development, hunger, poverty, education, government, public health, mental health, technology in society, migration/immigration, peace and security, social/gender/racial justice, and voting rights. Shifting attention to a focus on funding rather than fundraising, the course features the critical roles program officers play behind the scenes in shaping philanthropic investments that seek to address a wide range of societal problems and challenges.