2 page single space, due within 30hours

Policy Brief Wainer SOCI 310 – Summer 2020T1

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Prep. Document: Policy Issue Brief (20% of your final grade)

As a sociologist sometimes you will be required to write policy briefs using only publicly available information. (“Policy” in this particular context can be any course of action already taken [do not include those that have not been implanted yet] by an organization, political entity, government agency, or civil society or individual that has a concrete impact on Canadian society as a whole. It could be Bill 21 in Quebec and its impact on visible minorities or the Canada’s Enhanced Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy to Strengthen Canada’s Extractive Sector Abroad and the friendly relationship between Global Affairs Canada and Natural Resources Canada with the Mining Industry or any other similar example.) You may not be familiar with the topic. A policy issue brief is widely used in the government, industry, and non-profit sectors and is about a public “problem.” For this assignment, you must select a specific topic or current event discussed in class and research it (you can continue to work on your group theme or choose another large topic from the course, if you have doubts about your topic please check first with your instructor before embarking on writing the brief). You can only use publicly available information (i.e. academic articles, newspaper articles, magazine articles, university administrative reports, published government reports, online journal databases, etc.). You will need to provide a policy issue brief in the form of a 2-page memo (single-spaced with 1-inch margins and Times New Roman font) that identifies: 1) the problem presented in the materials and the actual policy you want to analyze (4 points max.), 2) the major stakeholders (4 points max.), 3) policy recommendations (core part of your policy brief, you demonstrate one or more possible alternatives to “improve” or “fix” this issue) (8 points max.), and 4) discusses any potential opportunities and barriers to your proposed action (4 points max.). You need to go straight to the matter. This is an analysis of existing policy; thus, it has to be analytical and descriptive (for the current problem/policy) as well as prescriptive (for your formulation of how to improve the current policy and the obstacles you might find). It has to be jargon-free, as you may not be talking to specialists. This should be done from the standpoint of an applied sociologist. You need to ask: how can we use the theories and methods in our toolkits to solve “practical, everyday problems”? The policy brief is due on Class 6 (June 1st at midnight).

We will break the assignment down into the four components:

1. Problem

You can only use publicly available information (i.e. newspaper articles, magazine articles, published government reports, online journal databases, etc.). No need to do any fieldwork or interview (you don’t talk to people). Think about what is the issue you will address: “The specific topic/current event is........” Also, which data you will use: “I will rely on this data set ...”

Within the larger issue, there has to be a more specific problem. Understanding what the problem is, in the clearest terms possible, will give your reader a reference point. Every piece of information in the brief should be clearly and easily connected to the problem.

1. You should clearly define: “The problem is ....” and “the actual policy I will address is…”

Policy Brief Wainer SOCI 310 – Summer 2020T1

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2. Scope: Is the problem at UBC, statewide, national, or international? How many people does this issue affect? Daily? Annually? Seasonally? This is a great place for any statistical information you may have gathered through your research.

2. The major stakeholders

Who does this issue affect directly and indirectly? Adult women? College-educated men? Homeless students? Bilingual students? BIPOC? People that use substances? Albertans? Indigenous people from BC and Alberta?

Clearly explaining the primary group being affected is important. Knowing who this group is allows the reader to assign a face to the policy issue. Policy issues can include a complex network of stakeholders. Double-check whether you have inadvertently excluded any of them from your analysis.

1. You should clearly define: “The stakeholders are.....”

3. Policy recommendations

This is the central section of the policy brief. It briefly discusses the current policy approach and explains the proposed options for improvement. It should be fair and accurate while convincing the reader why the policy action proposed in the brief is the most desirable. This section contains the most detailed explanation of the concrete steps to be taken to address the policy issue.

1. You should clearly define: “One or more possible alternative policies are these....”

4. Potential opportunities and barriers to action

What kinds of obstacles do you foresee in the implementation of the suggested policy? Money will be the main issue? Why? Explain it. How do you think the multiple stakeholders would react to this? Who is going to welcome it and who is probably going to resist it? Is there any common ground for coordinated action with all (or some) of the stakeholders?

1. You should clearly define: “Some potential obstacles could be....”