“Internationalizing the curriculum:” challenges to public administration

It is tempting to “internationalize the curriculum” in professional graduate programs by adding courses and units that deal with strategies to improve the international competitive position of the United States. The study considers three strategies for dealing more credibly with international and global issues. The more difficult and challenging are those that attempt to incorporate multi- and interdisciplinary activities. The study describes several topics with global implications that would benefit from interdisciplinary study. In the meantime, the traditional perspective of Public Administration is not very relevant to global concerns because of the close connection to nation-states and hierarchical organizations. There are, however, a number of trends in the field that could enhance its ability to contribute to a global perspective such as a growing attention to new institutional arrangements, more emphasis on consultations rather than regulatory controls, and more interest in the role of managers.     

Communication induced distortion in scholarly research -- the case of action theory in american public administration

The history of action theory in American Public Administration provides the basis for development of a conceptual scheme for understanding how the operating codes that define communication processes used by theorists can distort scholarship. Transaction is a mode that induces distortion; relationship is a mode that helps avoid it. Some suggestions for reissuing the current operating code -- in the direction of making it better fit the relationship model -- are presented.     

Parkland acquisition and urbanization: Implications for managers

This paper reports the results of original research into the problem of acquiring parkland in an era of severe budgetary constraints on local government. Data on a variety of acquisition methods was collected and analyzed, and recommendations were developed to improve the efficiency of local parks planning. While these methods have previously been discussed separately in the literature, comparative studies have been the exception rather than the rule. The paper identifies a wide array of methods for acquiring parkland, formulates research questions based on a review of the literature, investigates them using a nationwide survey, and draws conclusions regarding practical implications for public administrators to use. Suggestions for further research are also made.     

Will Sexual Minority Rights Be Trumped? Assessing the Policy Sustainability of LGBTI Rights Diplomacy in American Foreign Policy

A hallmark of the Barack Obama Administration’s foreign policy was the incorporation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender and Intersex [LGBTI] rights diplomacy. With the change to the Donald Trump Administration in January 2017, this new aspect of American foreign policy has yet to be tested. This analysis investigates the methods used by advocates and government allies to imbed this policy in foreign policy institutions to increase the difficulty of a full policy reversal. It argues that whilst new leadership does not always support LGBTI equality domestically, LGBTI diplomacy will not likely face eradication from foreign policy mandates largely due to the strategic framing of LGBTI rights diplomacy.