People, Place, and Public Policy

At its heart, public policy is about people and place. Population analysis (demography) is a critical tool for public policy-making. This chapter invites you to reflect on personal, social, and human identities, and introduces distinctions between statistical classifications and social groups, and between statistical correlations and the possible causes (and cures) of social and economic disadvantage. Anyone pursuing a career in public policy will not be able to avoid dealing with conflicting interests and claims related to identity and culture (e.g., sex, gender, race, ethnicity, or indigeneity). An informed thoughtfulness about identities, classifications, and social groups can help us grapple with considerations of freedom, equality, and fairness, recognising both our kaleidoscopic diversity and our common humanity.