Studying Public Policy

Michael Howlett is Burnaby Mountain Professor of Political Science and Canada Research Chair at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. His research specializes in public policy analysis, political economy, and resource and environmental policy. He is Editor-in-Chief of Policy Sciences and Co-Editor of Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, Policy & Society, and Policy Design and Practice. His current work focuses on policy formulation and design, particularly policy tools, instruments, and the processes behind their development. M Ramesh is Professor and UNESCO Chair on Social Policy Design in Asia at the National University of Singapore. Specializing in public policy and governance in Asia, with a focus on social policy, Ramesh has authored and edited numerous books and journal articles. He is the founding editor of the journals Policy and Society and Policy Design and Practice, as well as the acclaimed Cambridge Elements in Public Policy series. He is the outgoing President of the International Public Policy Association. Anthony Perl is Professor of Urban Studies and Political Science at Simon Fraser University. His interdisciplinary research examines policy decisions related to transportation, cities, and the environment. His work has received awards for outstanding papers presented at the World Conference on Transport Research and the Canadian Transportation Research Forum. He is co-editor of The Handbook of Transportation and Public Policy (2025) and Transport and Energy Transition (2025).

• List of Figures; List of Tables; Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Studying public policy: the why and the what; 2. Understanding public policy: policy analysis and policy studies; 3. The policy context: ideas, institutions and actors; 4. Policy content: policy designs and policy tools; Part II. Policy Cycle: 5. Policy priorities: agenda-setting and problem definition; 6. Policy alternatives: formulating policy options; 7. Policy choices: deciding among policy options; 8. Policy administration: implementing decisions; 9. Policy assessment: evaluating results and seeking improvement; Part III. Long-Term Policy Dynamics: 10. Policy dynamics: policymaking over time; 11. Conclusion: studying policymaking to better address the challenges of our time; Bibliography; Index.