Break students up into groups of five or six. Give each group a general policy area (e.g., environmental policy, veterans’ affairs, energy policy) and a list of Congressional committees, executive departments, and major independent agencies (e.g., FCC, EPA). Have the students determine who would constitute the policy community for their assigned policy area. While the students do not possess a list of interest groups, allow them to think of well publicized groups that would be involved in the policy area; what they know will surprise them. For example, if a group has veterans’ affairs, someone in the group will probably be familiar with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or the American Legion. Circulate among the groups, giving pointers and helpful suggestions if the students seem to be stuck on groups in their policy area. Depending on the policy area assigned, students may be surprised to find that there is more than one committee in a given chamber of Congress with jurisdiction over the area.

Allow the groups to discuss their area and its actors for about ten minutes. Each group should give a short report to the class on their area’s policy community. Be prepared to provide more groups (and research organizations) to each policy area. This exercise will help students to comprehend the vast size of most policy communities as well as their amorphous nature.