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Being in government is about doing things: addressing problems, dealing with crises, reforming institutions, and so on. But the list of possible 'things to do' is enormous, and governments have to choose which to prioritise - since doing anything costs time, money, and political capital.

How do governments make these choices? Do they listen to public opinion? Or do they take their cues from the media, or lobbyists? ÌýOr, to reverse the questions: why do certain issues consistently 'make it' on to the policy agenda, while others are doomed to remain just as conversation topics?

The aim of Agenda Setting and Public Policy is to explain why governments and other decision-makers pay attention to one issue and not to another, and to find out why attention to these changes over time. The course starts with the concept of the policy agenda; then it reviews different theories to explain the character of the agenda in modern times using examples from around the world. Particularly relevant for the course are the different kinds of influence on policy, such as the media and public opinion. Many of these influences are changing with the development of the internet and the greater use of social media, like Twitter, which has speeded up decision-making and involved citizens more directly in political movements and with (or against) government.