Week 4 DB: Comparative News Analysis
Find two recent (published within the last year) articles about a health care issue. Explore varied views, opinions, and representations on this one issue.
Your two articles, news reports, or opinion pieces must offer opposing or distinctly different perspectives on the same topic. The source can be from anywhere ‐ a newspaper, magazine, association newsletter, or professional journal article. Consider the use of additional resources or specific examples from your own experience to further support your understanding of the issue (and of course, documentation of your sources is important to substantiate your conclusions).
The purpose of this exercise is to refine the use policy analysis as a functional tool. Write a brief (one page) document:
- Include a very brief statement explaining WHY you chose the selected topic.
- Use one or two sentences to describe the PROBLEM highlighted in your selected articles. How does each side define the problem? Do they agree on the problem? Do they think the problem is real or a perceived problem?
- Use only one or two sentences to explain the POLICY stream. What solution to the problem does each side identify? Use only one or two sentences to explain the PREFERRED SOLUTION emphasized in each of your selected articles.
- Describe the POLITICAL stream. Who (individuals and/or groups) supports each perspective? Who has the power? What is the opinion of the public? Who are the key participants in the process?
- Use the Kingdon concepts to show how the selected article demonstrates the Kingdon model “in action”.
- After reading the competing views, which definition of the problem and the solution do you find more convincing? If neither convinces you then define the problem and suggest a solution.
- Identify the name and source of the original articles and include a link to the original articles.