Directions
As you manage public organizations, you will find there is a constant struggle between efficiency (public interest) and charity (private interest), compliance with regulations (public interest) and effective services (also public interest), and duty to the public (public interest) and duty to one’s personal values (private interest). These are just some of the conflicts that present themselves. What examples have you seen in your own experience or in others’ experiences that demonstrate pressure to forego public interest?
The past few years have presented multiple opportunities for government at every level in the U.S. to build or lose trust with the citizenry. From the withdrawal from Afghanistan to the COVID-19 response to the 2020 elections to race relations, all factions seem to have legitimate reasons to distrust government. From your perspective, what must LOCAL governments do to build trust? What examples can you cite of local government’s building or destroying trust?
REFERENCES TO BE USED
Websites
Public Interest – Where it all starts: Lobbying, democracy and the Public Interest
Reference: Bitonti, A. (2020). Where it all starts: Lobbying, democracy and the Public Interest. Journal of Public Affairs, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2001
Public Interest – Creating Value in Public Services: The Struggle between Private and Public Interests?
Reference: Magnussen, S., & Rønning, R. (2021). Creating Value in Public Services: The Struggle between Private and Public Interests? Innovation Journal, 26(1), 1–17.
Public Interest – Self‐interest in new wrapping: “Appeal to the public interest” as a topos in lobbying
Reference: Raknes, K., & Ihlen, Ø. (2020). Self‐interest in new wrapping: “Appeal to the public interest” as a topos in lobbying. Journal of Public Affairs (14723891), 20(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2059
Distrust of Government – Legacy city residents’ lack of trust in their governments: An examination of Flint, Michigan residents’ trust at the height of the water crisis
Reference: Morckel, V., & Terzano, K. (2019). Legacy city residents’ lack of trust in their governments: An examination of Flint, Michigan residents’ trust at the height of the water crisis. Journal of Urban Affairs, 41(5), 585–601. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2018.1499415
Distrust of Government – Like, Post, and Distrust? How Social Media Use Affects Trust in Government
Reference: Klein, E., & Robison, J. (2020). Like, Post, and Distrust? How Social Media Use Affects Trust in Government. Political Communication, 37(1), 46–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2019.1661891
Distrust of Government – Hesitancy towards Receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine: Concerns about Side Effects and Safety, Mistrust in Government and Health Authorities, and Perceived Susceptibility and Severity of the Virus
Reference: Wells, R., Vochozka, M., & Stehel, V. (2021). Hesitancy towards Receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine: Concerns about Side Effects and Safety, Mistrust in Government and Health Authorities, and Perceived Susceptibility and Severity of the Virus. Review of Contemporary Philosophy, 20, 163–174. https://doi.org/10.22381/RCP20202111
