Ethics In Public Policy Making Implementation

AY2025/2026 Semester 1

This course aims to acquaint you with the study of ethical considerations and issues in public policy making and implementation. The study of ethical considerations and issues as such is a critical area of public policy analysis as it addresses one core question that confronts particularly scholars and practitioners of public policy, but also any professional and/or organizational entity with stakes in public policy globally: how (best) to design and implement ethical public policy within a certain societal context? In addressing this core question, you will navigate the different ethical perspectives, issues as well as tensions/dilemmas that arise during the public policy making and implementation phases in key policy sectors primarily, but not exclusively, within the Asia-Pacifi c region. These policy sectors are prominent sectors that are seen in many Asia-pacifi c societies, including the education, economic, housing, social and environmental sectors. Therefore, lectures are focused on delivery of relevant concepts and perspectives relating to ethics in public policy making and implementation. Lectures in the fi rst part of the course will centre around concepts and perspectives on ethics in public policy making and implementation. Lectures in the second part of the course will situate the concepts and perspectives covered in the fi rst part of the course in specifi c case studies that refl ect the abovementioned key policy sectors. Extending from these lectures, the tutorials will provide you with the opportunity to apply what you have learnt in lectures to analyse and evaluate the ethical considerations, dilemmas and tensions that arise within the respective public policy sectors under study.