Prompt:

1. Research and Analyze Bureaucratic Reforms:
   • Select two federal departments or agencies from the list provided here: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/federal/departments_agencies.
   • Research any major changes—either proposed or enacted—to these departments or agencies within the past five years. What exactly has changed, or is proposed to change?
   • How do you think such changes will affect, or have already affected, the department’s or agency’s functioning? Consider whether these changes are intended to improve efficiency, transparency, or accountability.
2. Bureaucracy and Its Role in Government:
   • Define a bureaucracy and explain its main attributes. What characteristics define a bureaucracy in the context of the federal government?
   • Discuss when bureaucracies are most effective and provide real-world examples of bureaucratic successes and failures.
   • Reflect on the trade-offs between bureaucratic efficiency and democratic accountability. How do laws like the Pendleton Act, the Hatch Act, and the sunshine laws help maintain a balance between these two objectives
   •  consider first defining and describing bureaucracy, then transition into discussing the reforms and how they impact the effectiveness of the federal departments or agencies you researched. Conclude with a reflection on how bureaucratic reforms tie into broader themes of efficiency, accountability, and democratic governance.