This fully revised second edition offers a comprehensive examination of the policy process through a range of perspectives, including rationalism, culturalism, institutionalism, and political analysis. By combining these perspectives, the book enhances our understanding of the complex challenges that today’s policymakers face and promotes a reflexive approach to policy practice. It enables students to discover key concepts and gain a deeper understanding of how public policy is discussed academically and shaped empirically.Key Features:Coverage of all key elements of the policy cycleCritical reflections on the roles of policy analystsInsight into the complexity of policymaking in practiceUp-to-date review of the literature on the policy processFresh case studies on topics including migration, water management, social policies, and climate change.Providing an insight into the complexity of policymaking in today’s world, this engaging textbook is an invaluable resource for undergraduate and master’s students of public policy, policy analysis and public administration.
Victor Bekkers, Menno Fenger and Peter Scholten, Department of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Contents1 Policy, politics and governance: an introduction2 Policymaking in a changing world3 Four perspectives on the policy process4 Policy problems and agenda setting5 Formulating and designing policies6 Decision-making on policies7 Implementing policies into practice8 Evaluating public policy9 Policy dynamics: learning, change and innovation10 Toward a reflective policy practice
‘Public Policy in Action offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to the complexities of governance. Blending rational, political, cultural, and institutional perspectives, it illuminates the dynamics of policy processes with rich examples and illustrations. This book is for anyone seeking to understand the challenges inherent in public policies.’