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Print Price: $121.99

Format:
Paperback, eBook
416 pp.
6 figures; 29 tables, 6.125" x 9.25"

ISBN-13:
9780199026142

Copyright Year:
2020

Imprint: OUP Canada


Studying Public Policy

Principles and Processes, Fourth Edition

Michael Howlett, M. Ramesh and Anthony Perl

The leading introduction to the theory and practice of public policy.

Studying Public Policy introduces the theoretical foundations of the policy sciences and develops an analytical framework that incorporates how policy-making addresses and attempts to solve public problems.

Readership : Studying Public Policy is intended for students in introductory public policy courses taught at the 2nd- and 3rd-year level, as well as students in graduate-level courses.

Reviews

  • "This text provides instructors and students with a comprehensive overview of both the evolution of policy-making approaches and theory and the most current thinking in this field. It organizes a very unwieldy literature into some understandable and usable frameworks."
    --Debora VanNijnatten, Wilfrid Laurier University

  • "This vital textbook provides a thorough and in-depth description of theory and practice of public policy. It is a required public policy primer for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in learning about and delving deep into the study of policy making."
    --Benjamin Kutsyuruba, Queen's University

  • "Studying Public Policy is a comprehensive guide to the subject, covering an extraordinary breadth of theoretical approaches. It remains an invaluable reference for students as they go forward in our program."
    --Richard Sutherland, Mount Royal University

Note: Each chapter includes:
- Study Questions
- Further Readings
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Part I: Methodology, Theory, and Context in Public Policy Research
1. Studying Public: Why and How
2. Understanding Public Policy: Theoretical Approaches
3. The Policy Context: States and Societies
Part II: The Five Stages of the Policy Cycle
4. Agenda-Setting: Definition and Problematics
5. Policy Formulation: Identifying and Assessing Policy Alternatives
6. 6. Public Policy Decision-Making: Policy Selection and Choice
7. 7. Policy Implementation: Putting Policies into Effect
8. 8. Policy Evaluation: Policy-Making as Learning
Part III: Long-Term Policy Dynamics
9. Patterns of Policy Change: Between Punctuations and Increments
Notes
References
Index

There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.

Michael Howlett is Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) and Burnaby Mountain Professor in the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

M. Ramesh is UNESCO Chair of Social Policy Design in Asia and a Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.

Anthony Perl is a Professor of Urban Studies and Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

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Special Features

  • Accessible language and a clear structure make complex material easy for undergraduate students to understand.
  • Expert authors provide students with an authoritative resource on key issues in public policy.
  • Helpful learning tools, such as end-of-chapter study questions and a list of further readings encourage student engagement.
  • Theoretical approach introduces an analytical overview of policy theory, helping students develop a deeper understanding of how Canadian and international public policy is created.
New to this Edition
  • Fully updated to incorporate new developments in the field, new examples, and the teaching experiences of the authors to make this a relevant guide for students and instructors alike.
  • Revised discussion of key topics including design and non-design orientations in policy formulation, the definition and history of policy evaluation, and the varying streams of influence in policy implementation.
  • Expanded coverage on stages in the public policy cycle - including new discussion of Peter Hall's three types of macroeconomic policy change, a chronological overview of competing implementation theories, and the five criteria for policy evaluation set out by the OECD/DAC.
  • New section on policy creation in a post-factual world explores new risks and challenges to policy creation and change. (Ch.9)