166-100 Ethics, Politics and Public Policy

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Admission to the Bachelor of Public Policy and Management Program, see Entry requirements.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The subject examines recent events in the United States to consider issues such as campaign fraud, the misuse of funds, the peddling of influence and sexual harassment. Examples for discussion may include Watergate, the Savings and Loans scandal, the Iran Contra affair, the Clarence Thomas Confirmation, the Lewinski affair and the Whitewater investigation. We will ask how misconduct by government officials should be investigated and whether and to what extent the variety of regulations and codes dedicated to improving ethics that were introduced by Congress have proved effective. On completion of this subject students will be aware of recent ethical scandals in the United States and have knowledge about how they have been dealt with; gain skills that will be relevant in policy-making in the ethics area; and understand various techniques for regulating ethics in government.

Assessment

Written work totalling 5000 words.