Long before the Tea Party and Occupy dominated headlines and airwaves, protest was a fixed feature of American political and social life. Although social movements are often conceived as political outsiders, they play an influential role in the policy process and have increasingly become a common vehicle for social change. You can learn about how social movements influence public policy in a new online course offered this summer by the Center for Public Policy and Administration.
The course, “Social Movements and Public Policy,” will examine the dynamics of social movements by analyzing the conditions that shape their development and by exploring the ultimate impact that they have on politics and American society. It will be taught by Steven Boutcher, assistant professor of sociology and public policy.
“Social Movements and Public Policy” offers graduate and undergraduate students alike — plus continuing education students from any walk of life — the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the world in which we live, in a flexible and convenient online format. Boutcher has been researching social movements for almost a decade, giving particular attention to low-wage worker organizing campaigns and the mobilization of gay and lesbian rights advocates.
The course runs from July 8 to August 16. Enrollment opens March 18.