Agenda-setting is the process by which issues rise to prominence in political discussion in society. In a modern society there are an almost limitless number of conditions which could become defined as problematic. For an issue to be actively considered for governmental action it must first be recognized as a problem. It then must move from not only being seen as problematic, but being seen as an issue where public sector action is appropriate, and finally an issue must move to the stage where policy alternatives are being actively considered. The process of moving from existing condition to issue of active governmental concern is the crux of agenda setting.
Many factors affect the content of both the public and governmental agenda.
Among these are the organization of interest groups concerned with an issue, efforts by those involved to focus attention on the issue, biases and behaviors of the news media in reporting on issues, and how governmental institutions react to attempts to promote new policies. To have an understanding of the policy process, one must understand how governments decide to focus their attention on one set of issues rather than another and how actors in the political arena attempt to influence this process. In this course, we review a range of classic and more recent public policy studies on the politics of agenda-setting. Students should finish the course with a good understanding of the concepts and methods used by those active in agenda-setting research. They should be able to conduct original research into the processes and implications of agenda-setting in democratic settings.