Analyzing Social Policy

Mary Katherine O'Connor, MSW, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University where she has taught in the MSW and PhD programs for over twenty years. She has authored or coauthored numerous books, chapters, and journal articles in the areas of public child welfare practice, services to street children, and qualitative research method development. F. Ellen Netting, MSSW, PhD, is a Professor of Social Work and Samuel S. Wurtzel Chair at Virginia Commonwealth University where she teaches in the BSW, MSW, and PhD programs. She has authored or coauthored numerous books, chapters, and journal articles in the areas of health and human service delivery issues for frail elders, as well as nonprofit management concerns.

• Foreword xiPreface xvAcknowledgments xxiii1 An Overview of Social Policy Analysis 1Necessary Groundwork 2Identifying Definitions and Forms of Policy 10Recognizing Levels and Scope of Social Policies 19Conceptualizing Policy Analysis 28Conclusion 34Discussion Questions 352 Thinking of Policy Analysis as Research 36The Role of Research in Guiding Policy Analysis 37What Constitutes Research? 41Focusing the Policy Analysis 46An Expansive View of Policy Analysis Research 53Conclusion 60Discussion Questions 61Case Study 63Service, Engagement, and Volunteerism: What’s the Policy All About? 633 Rational Policy Analysis 75Reason and Rationality 76Rational Assumptions of the Positivist/Postpositivist Paradigm 78Rational Models of Policy Analysis 79How to Assess the Degree to Which an Analysis Approach is Rational 99Conclusion 102Discussion Questions 1034 Applications of Rational Policy Analysis 104Using the Chambers and Wedel Policy/Program Analytical Framework 106Using Jansson’s Six-Step Policy Analysis Framework 111Using Huttman’s Policy Analysis Model 115Using Holcomb and Nightingale’s Implementation Analysis Model 123Using Segal and Bruzuzy’s Questions for Social Welfare Policy Analysis 128Discussion 134Concluding Remarks About Rational Policy Analysis 135Discussion Questions 1365 Nonrational Policy Analysis 137Reason and Nonrationality 137Nonrational Assumptions of the Interpretivist/Constructivist Paradigm 139Nonrational Approaches to Policy Analysis 142How to Assess the Degree to Which an Analysis Approach is Nonrational 165Conclusion 168Discussion Questions 1696 Applications in Nonrational Policy Analysis 170Using Stone’s Policy Paradox Approach 172Using Kingdon’s Policy Primeval Soup or Garbage Can Approach 182Using Prigmore and Atherton’s Policy Analysis Approach 188Using Guba’s Policy-in-Action Approach 193Using an Impact-Analysis Approach 197Discussion 202Conclusion 204Discussion Questions 2047 Critical Policy Analysis 206Reason in Radicality 207Assumptions of the Critical Paradigm 208Critical Approaches to Policy Analysis 210How to Assess the Degree to Which an Analysis Approach is Critical 232Conclusion 236Discussion Questions 2378 Applications in Critical Policy Analysis 238Using Marx’s Historical or Dialectical Method 241Analyzing Cultural Responsiveness in PolicyFormulation at the Organizational Level 248Using Lejano’s Normative Policy Analysis 254Using Moser’s Approach to Gender Policy Implementation 260Using Schiele’s Afrocentric Framework of Policy Analysis 265Discussion 271Conclusion 273Discussion Questions 273Epilogue 275References 285About the Authors 293Author Index 295Subject Index 299