Postgraduate Course: Advocacy, Lobbying and Health Policy (SCPL11016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This is a course about strategies and activities to influence policies impacting on health. It will introduce students to theories that help explain the role of interest group influence within policy, including social movement theories and literature focusing on the third sector as well as more traditional interest group, political and ideational theories. The course will also provide empirical examples of lobbying and advocacy for health related issues and will encourage students to link theoretical frameworks with empirical examples. It assumes no prior background in political science or social policy and will provide a basic introduction to key theories developed across these disciplines that concern policy change and the role of advocacy, lobbying and policy influence. The first part of the course (the first three sessions) will focus on introducing students to key concepts and relevant theories. The second part will then introduce students to some contemporary, empirical examples of advocacy and lobbying in health contexts (students will also be encouraged to draw on their own experiences to provide further empirical examples). This part of the course will encourage students to draw on the theoretical literature covered in the first part of the course to examine the efforts of various actors to influence policy outcomes, considering the rationale for various actors¿ involvement in policy debates, the tactics and arguments employed by different actors and any evidence relating to outcomes/impacts of these activities. |
| Course description |
This is a course about strategies and activities to influence policies impacting on health. It will introduce students to theories that help explain the role of interest group influence within policy, including social movement theories and literature focusing on the third sector as well as more traditional interest group, political and ideational theories. The course will also provide empirical examples of lobbying and advocacy for health related issues and will encourage students to link theoretical frameworks with empirical examples. It assumes no prior background in political science or social policy and will provide a basic introduction to key theories developed across these disciplines that concern policy change and the role of advocacy, lobbying and policy influence. The first part of the course (the first three sessions) will focus on introducing students to key concepts and relevant theories. The second part will then introduce students to some contemporary, empirical examples of advocacy and lobbying in health contexts (students will also be encouraged to draw on their own experiences to provide further empirical examples). This part of the course will encourage students to draw on the theoretical literature covered in the first part of the course to examine the efforts of various actors to influence policy outcomes, considering the rationale for various actors' involvement in policy debates, the tactics and arguments employed by different actors and any evidence relating to outcomes/impacts of these activities.
Outline content
1. Health Advocacy, Lobbying and Policy Influence - An Introduction
2. Civil Society and Social Movement Theories
3. Advocacy, Lobbying & Policy Influence in Health Care
4. Advocacy and Lobbying in non-communicable diseases: Tobacco and Alcohol
5. Advocacy, Lobbying and Policy Influence in communicable diseases: Malaria and HIV/AIDS
This course will provide students with a range of basic transferable skills that relate to research impact beyond academia and policy influence. In particular, students will gain skills in constructing short, accessible research briefings designed for various non-academic audiences (advocacy organisations, policymakers and journalists). Students will also gain some basic skills in social media campaigning and in engaging with the mass media.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 25 |
| Course Start |
Block 3 (Sem 2) |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
83 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Essay, 2000 words, and a related 500-800 word, accessible briefing document, informed by empirical research and written for one of the following groups: third sector health organisations; policymakers; journalists. |
| Feedback |
Formative assessment: The seminars will involve group presentations and group work to develop advocacy/lobbying campaign material and formative feedback will be provided on these, in advance of the written assessment. Verbal feedback is also provided during seminars and guidance and feedback hours. This includes the opportunity for students to seek guidance and feedback on their planned approach to the assessed essay and briefing document |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- examine the roles of advocacy and lobbying in health policy and to think critically about them
- understand key theories of policy change and the potential role of advocacy and lobbying within these various theoretical frameworks
- situate analysis of advocacy and lobbying within social movement theories and the growing literature concerning the third sector and civil society
- critically assess of the complex relationships between evidence, ideas, advocacy, lobbying, policy and practice in health settings
- apply theoretical accounts of advocacy, lobbying and policy change to empirical examples of health policy debates
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Reading List
Chapman, S. (2007) Public Health Advocacy and Tobacco Control. Oxford: Blackwell.
Baum, F. (2007). "Cracking the nut of health equity: top down and bottom up pressure for action on the social determinants of health." Promotion & Education 14(2): 90-95.
Baumgartner, F. and Leech, B. (1998). Basic Interests: The Importance of Groups in Politics and in Political Science. Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press.
Blas, E., Gilson, L., et al. (2008). "Addressing social determinants of health inequities: what can the state and civil society do?" The Lancet 372(9650): 1684-1689.
Brown, P. and Zavestoski, S. (2004). "Social movements in health: an introduction." Sociology of Health & Illness 26(6): 679-694.
Chapman, S. (2004). "Advocacy for public health: a primer." Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 58(5): 361-365.
Doyle, C. and Patel, P. (2008). "Civil society organisations and global health initiatives: Problems of legitimacy." Social Science & Medicine 66(9): 1928-1938.
Nathanson, C. A. (1999). "Social Movements as Catalysts for Policy Change: The Case of Smoking and Guns." Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 24(3): 421-488.
Rau, B. (2006). "The politics of civil society in confronting HIV/AIDS." International Affairs 82(2): 285-295.
Sabatier, P. A. and Jenkins-Smith, H. C. (1999). The Advocacy Coalition Framework: An Assessment. Theories of the Policy Process. P. A. Sabatier. Oxford, Westview Press: 117-166.
Saloojee, Y. and Dagli, E. (2000). "Tobacco industry tactics for resisting public policy on health." Bulletin of the World Health Organization 78: 902-910.
Smith, K.E. and Katikireddi, S.V. (in press) A Glossary of Theories for Understanding Policymaking and Policy Change. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Vernick, J. S. (1999). "Lobbying and advocacy for the public's health: what are the limits for nonprofit organizations?" American Journal of Public Health 89(9): 1425-1429.
Wallack, L. and Dorfman, L. (1996). "Media Advocacy: A Strategy for Advancing Policy and Promoting Health." Health Education & Behavior 23(3): 293-317.
Zoller, H. M. (2005). "Health Activism: Communication Theory and Action for Social Change." Communication Theory 15(4): 341-364.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Katherine Smith
Tel: (0131 6)51 1461
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Kate Ferguson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5122
Email: |
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