Understanding Public Policy (15th Edition) by Thomas R. Dye

by Thomas R. Dye

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. Updated it its 14th edition, Understanding Public Policy focuses on the policy challenges confronting the Obama administration. This edition provides students with a close up look at the American healthcare system, current economic policies, issues of homeland security and defense policy among many other current event and issues shaping public policy today. The gold-standard for introductory public policy texts, Understanding Public Policy is designed to provide readers with concrete tools for both understanding and analyzing public policy.

Genres: Public Policy, Politics, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Mayim de Vries · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too American to be of use outside US.

[Nara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be much more accurate if the book was called "Understanding Public Policy in the USA". When I saw it first, I expected to find cases about public policy issues from all around the world. Instead the author suggest specific focus on the US government policy.

The advantage of the book is that the author explain hard terms in a very simple language, so it is easy to read and comprehend. For example, public policy is defined as "whatever governments choose to do or not to do". The subjects are brief and up to the point.

[Joe Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

That jargon defeats the purpose of clarity for students. I appreciate the straight shooter writing style that is clear and easy to understand. Indeed I used at as a standard refernce book in formulating my views on a range of topics even though I am an Australian looking at an American academic text book.

[Josh Liller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the textbook for my "Issues in American Politics" university class. My professor, who by her own admission has a liberal bias (I agree), feels the author has a conservative bias (I also agree). She uses this book partly because of the contrasting viewpoint to her own, but also because she feels there simply isn't anything better available.

Dye's conservative bias doesn't seem too severe and only seemed particularly noticeable to me on a few issues. It's certainly not FOX News. Some of the political theory is especially dry, but fortunately the book doesn't dwell on it and mostly presents the issues and the different viewpoints related to them. My main criticism of this textbook is that it is very much a typical textbook: unexciting and overpriced.

[Paulatics · Rating 3 out of 5]

I use this as a text in my Intro to Public Policy course. The book is in its 14th edition, so Professor Dye's framework is the gold standard. It provides an excellent basis for class discussions by explaining the academic models of public policy. After lobbying for 20 years, I then proceed to teach my students how public policy is REALLY made.

[A.J. Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview. Of course, it isn't possible to address all the ins and outs of public policy in 16 chapters. However, I was put off by some dubious assertions the author makes. For instance, the author asserts the income gap between men and women can be mostly accounted for by the fact men still hold far more management positions than females. Very misleading. He does some of these topics an injustice while shedding light on others. Mixed.

[Robiswalking · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first six or seven chapters seem more relevant than the rest of the book. Much has changed since the Obama administration and the specific examples have not aged well. A new addition of this book would be quite interesting taking on the same topics as we emerge into a new policy consideration for energy, civil rights, education, etc.

[Kirra Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for class throughout the semester and honestly, it was very informative of American Public Policy. It was put in plain text and so it was easy to read, pickup, and understand. None of it seemed worthless or random. It was a well written comprehensive book.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introductory book. However the content was heavily US leaning and there were a few strong political views that felt a little to forward for a book that’s supposed to be an introduction to the field. Still had a lot of good information.

[Adam McDade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good review of American Public Policy; however Dye’s personal politics stances frequently come out in the book.

[Lamia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want to read this book

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this once during my PhD program and again while teaching Principles of Public Administration. It's straight-forward and approachable.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit outdated, but it can help understand what is currently going on in this country and why politicians pass certain policies over others.

[Machmud Cahudi]

i want to read this book

[Steven Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Dye is a well known and respected political scdientist. In this volume, he discusses a variety of approaches to understanding public policy. In essence, he outlines a series of "models" of how the process works. His writing is not the most felicitous, but it is functional.

Its key distinguishing figure is the contention that we need to be aware of different "models" of politics as these inform our understanding of public policy. Models are simplifications of reality to highlight certain key aspects of a phenomenon--in this case policy.

A series of models is outlined early on, such as institutionalism, process, rationalism, Incrementalism, group theory, elite theory, public choice theory, and game theory. One could add others, of course, but these are the ones used by Dye. He also discusses the standard perspective on the stages of the policy process--from problem identification and agenda setting to policy evaluation.

Subsequent chapters examine different policy areas as these might be elucidated by various models of the policy process (e.g., group politics and education policy).

While, in many senses, this is not an exciting volume, it provides a useful introduction to the policy process and those models that are often used to explain what happens.

[Leif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been more helpful if I was more concerned about America as the sole example for policy examples, or if I was more inclined to liberal/conservative normativism. Clearly structured and the opening chapters are very accessible, in particular.

[Carlos Zambrano]

is a wonderful book, public policies concern everyone

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for a class

[Muhammad Arham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admirable

[Brenda Armstead]

I am trying to open the book to read it. I am not able to open the book. How do I open the book to read it?

[OSCAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

oscar