Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives

by Michael E. Kraft, Scott R. Furlong

With the right information, we can develop public policies that work better.  Public Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives, Eighth Edition,  helps students understand how and why policy analysis is used to assess policy alternatives. The text encourages them to not only question the assumptions of policy analysts, but also recognize how these strategies are used to support political arguments. The authors integrate an evaluative approach to six substantive policy areas to encourage critical and creative thinking on issues ranging from health care to climate change. Students come away with the analytic tools they need to understand that the motivations of policy actors―both within and outside of government―influence a complex yet comprehensible policy agenda.

Genres: Politics, Public Policy, Textbooks, School, Reference, Nonfiction

568 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Michael E. Kraft is Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs Emeritus and Herbert Fisk Johnson Professor of Environmental Studies Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine textbook in public policy--largely because of its coverage of substantive policy areas. It is also hideously overpriced. As a college instructor, I am often stunned by what publishers do to their customers. There are many other texts that are equivalent but much less expensive. As a result, I would never adopt this text.

Nonetheless, it is a fine volume. Part I considers the study of public policy. Three chapters are included: (1) a chapter on policy and politics; (2) another on relevant government institutions and policy actors; (3) chapter that focuses on understanding public policymaking (e.g., theories of policy, stages of the policy process, tools of policy).

Part II looks at analyzing public policy. Three chapters also comprise this part: (1) an introduction to policy analysis; (2) problems and policy alternatives to address these; (3) assessing alternatives (including cost-benefit analysis).

Finally, Part III. Here, we learn about various substantive policy fields. Included here: Economic and budgetary policy; Health Care Policy; Welfare and social security policy; Education policy; Environmental and energy policy; Foreign policy and homeland security. Each gives a sense of the issues associated with each policy arena.

The last chapter concludes with a general evaluation of larger issues, such as citizen participation in public policy, policy and its impacts, and so on.

The cost is way too high. The first two sections provide an introduction to the subjects, but (in my mind) do not provide enough detail for the reader to get a good idea of the issues at stake.

Still and all, a good textbook with some drawbacks. . . .

[Margoe Littlepants]

No rating. I read this for my political science class. The material is a bit outdated.

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever met another textbook with a less helpful index. This book is in desperate need of a new edition with a much more detailed index and glossary. I also came across numerous grammatical errors. Also I found the text to be overly wordy in every chapter, going on and on much longer than necessary to get a point across. At times I was skipping entire paragraphs that were irrelevant. Sentence structure is repetitive too.
Unfortunately, our current administration is making such rapid changes that much of what this textbook says about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and welfare was outdated and inaccurate. This presents an issue for any current student of public policy. It isn’t necessarily a failure of the text, but relevant nonetheless.
Overall, I am sure a professor of public policy could select a better text than this.

[J. Tayler Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a textbook on policy analysis.

Now, it’s a good textbook on policy analysis that takes the time to explain both sides of any particular policy issue, and strongly encourages it’s readers to always consider multiple perspectives on any issue. For that reason, it is a good book and easy to read.

If you want to better understand why certain decisions are made by politicians and policy makers (especially in America) I recommend this book for you. It’s not overly dry, but it’s not meant for entertainment. It is a book that is teaching you the subject.

[Larina Warnock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as useful as I'd hoped.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as textbooks go this wasn't bad. That's something that I should be clear on up front. This isn't a 4 star like other actually good books are 4 stars, but it's a 4 star as far as textbooks go and regarding the expectations that you should have for one of those.

This was a primary textbook for the class PADM530 Public Policy at American Military University. All told, I feel like this books was in many ways the continuation of where many government textbooks people have read in high school and undergraduate courses left off. This is the next step if you want to think of it that way. I enjoyed everything in here pertaining to think tanks, special interest groups, lobbyists and other entities that operate outside the normal government channels. The book really does a good job of remaining politically neutral. I wasn't able to detect a political bias one way or another which is something getting more rare. (That also means they wouldn't allow this book in Texas, Kansas, or Oklahoma.)

[Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing exactly wrong with this book, but the audience for it must be fairly small. Kraft's treatment of public policy includes sections on many of the major areas of controversy in contemporary American public policy and basic arguments between traditional mainline conservatives and liberals. The approach is basic. If you have a decent grasp of policy disputes you won't find much in here that is intriguing. You already know most of it.

On the other hand, if you are just coming to some of these issues, this book might provide a reasonable starting point, but it is far from the thorough analysis that is necessary for a real understanding of the fault lines of our politcal system. It's a primer, I guess, but you'd be just as well off reading some white papers from non-insane think tanks on these same issues and saving yourself the $40.

[Megan Glancey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ridiculously expensive. Broad strokes coverage of major policy areas (a few years removed) and the analysis procedures unique and identical amongst.

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🫩😴😐🫠🦅and outdated anyway