“The study of state and local politics has taken off over the last decade. Data, methods and research interests have evolved. There are a variety of important questions that can’t be examined well at the federal level, because of severe case limitations. But scholars can get leverage on these questions thanks to the sizable and interesting variation that exists at the state and local levels,” said USC Price School of Public Policy Professor Jeffery Jenkins, as he brought together scholars from across the U.S. to examine the study of subnational policymaking.
“Studying Subnational Policy Making” is the third USC symposium organized by Jenkins, who serves as director of the USC Bedrosian Center on Governance and the USC Political Institutions & Political Economy (PIPE) Collaborative.
The symposium, held on June 5, as Californians were voting in the primary election, focused on examining important aspects of the study of American policymaking below the national level.
Papers presented were conceptual, and laid out the opportunities and challenges that a subnational perspective holds for the research endeavor. Authors covered important substantive and theoretical topics including representation, executive politics, interest groups and delegation, as well as methodologies for studying important topics like policy responsiveness.
Several key takeaways from the presentations and ensuing dialogue included:
In closing, Jenkins noted how the ability to draw faculty together for an in-depth conversation on future trends for research will have invaluable impact of the study of political institutions and policy making.