Diversity in Public Administration

PA 760

Fall 2009

Style Sheet for Advocacy Paper

Due Dec. 16

 The purpose of this paper is to enable you to analyze in depth how the crosscutting issues we discuss in class relate to a particular subgroup within society.  For example, you may choose to look at if and how discrimination, affirmative action, stereotypes, or work structures specifically affect Asian Pacific Islanders or older workers in public sector organizations.  Other possible groups you might choose include African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, women, gays and lesbians, the disabled, or Euro-American men.  (Check with me if you have another group in mind). Another example would be to look at service delivery issues with respect to a particular group.Or look at a particular public policy that may not meet the needs of a specific population. Having identified your group of interest, you will conduct research to develop a proposal addressed to the head of a hypothetical public sector organization or perhaps a lawmaker.  The proposal should either advocate for the adoption of a policy or program that you believe would benefit your group, or advocate that such a policy or program (which is assumed to be in place in the organization) be dismantled. Alternatively, your recommendation may be how to alter the existing program or policy to better serve the group whose needs you are addressing.

It should be based on at least five sources, not including any readings we did in class. These sources should largely consist of books, articles from academic journals, or credible reports produced by a government agency or equally trustworthy source, not the popular press (e.g., Time magazine). You may include references to class readings, or articles from the popular press, but these don't count toward the 5 source minimum.

 Issues that should be addressed in the paper include:

•  What are the demographic trends for the group you are studying; i.e., are their numbers growing or shrinking in the labor force?

•  What are the particular challenges or constraints that this organization, as a public one, faces in developing or implementing your policy recommendation?

•  What are the relevant statutes, ordinances, and/or case law that govern the policy?

•  Is there any reason to believe that either overt or subtler forms of discrimination may disadvantage the group? (Or is there reason to believe that while such discrimination may have existed in the past, it is no longer an issue?)

•  Is there evidence that the group is likely to encounter stereotypes that limit its members' inclusion or advancement in organizations, on university campuses or elsewhere?

•  Who is likely to oppose your proposal (consider the city council, mayor, Congress, etc.), and how do you suggest such opposition should be handled?

•  What specific policy and/or program would you recommend starting or ending?  Training? (Be specific as to what it would cover and who would be trained)  Special recruitment efforts? (Of whom and where?)  Is there evidence that such programs have been helpful (or harmful) to organizations that utilize them?

Your grade  will be based on: the extent to which you:

• Identify and analyze important issues with respect to the group you are studying,
  

• Provide a concise and convincing argument  The extent to which your argument is convincing will be based, in part, on the sources you use to back up your argument. 
  

• Identify possible sources of opposition to the policy or program (or elimination of the policy or program) and how that opposition should be addressed
  

• Clearly outline the steps you think your organization should take with respect to this group

• Comply with the style guidance below, including using a correct method of citations

Organization and Style

 The paper should be written in the form of a memo to your hypothetical agency head.  It should be well organized, written in narrative form, and should not exceed 5 pages, double-spaced.  The use of subtitles is strongly encouraged as they help to clarify the organization of your paper.  The questions listed above should be answered within the narrative, not as direct responses to those questions.  Make sure you begin the paper with a brief introduction and conclude it with a brief summary of your main points.

Any fact or idea taken from another source should be attributed to the source.  The APA in-text citation method is preferred (see Diana Hacker) , but you can use another method if you do so correctly and consistently. Interviews and documents downloaded from the Internet also must be cited. Direct quotations must also include the page numbers where they can be found. Absent or incorrect citations will cost you points!