Week 2 Discussion
Discussion Topic
Task: Reply to this topic
Stone writes (pg 381) “What people care about and fight about are interpretations of personhood, identity, economic welfare, war, and the proper relationship
between religion and government. What communities decide about when they make policy is meaning, not matter. And science can’t settle questions of
meaning.”
Initial Post:
Write an original contribution about what this paragraph means to you. What does it say about the role of “evidence” in the policy process? How might you
address differing interpretations by various audiences of a societal problem when thinking about how you will describe your problem and the potential policy
options to address it? Describe a situation that involves differing views on “what people care about” and what evidence might be used to support various
interpretations of the problem or proposed solutions.
Response Posts:
Respond to two (2) of your classmates with further questions, constructive criticism, and/or connections to your own perspective on how different
professions and different stakeholders view societal issues and concerns that require governmental involvement. What are some of the health equity
implications of differing values, views, and perspectives of culturally different beliefs and practices?