I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Been Asked This Question Before: Bringing “Why Government?” and “Which Government?” to the Classroom

Abstract

The question “Why government?” is as central to political debate as it is to public affairs education. This article outlines an approach to teaching “Why government?” and a closely related question, “Which government?” in an introductory public administration course. I offer five components that instructors can use in whole or in part. These components can be scaled according to class level and are not limited to use within the United States. Informal student feedback suggests a high degree of satisfaction with the exercise, long-term reflection on the underlying questions, and some integration with other coursework.

Keywords:

• Federalism
• intergovernmental relations
• governance
• state and local government
• philosophy

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael Thom

Michael Thom is assistant professor at the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy. His research areas include public finance, pensions, governance, and regulation. He holds a PhD from Michigan State University.