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The Public Policy Theory Primer

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Public policy is a broad and interdisciplinary area of study and research in the field tends to reflect this. Yet for those teaching and studying public policy, the disjointed nature of the field can be confusing and cumbersome. This text provides a consistent and coherent framework for uniting the field of public policy. Authors Kevin B. Smith and Christopher W. Larimer offer an organized and comprehensive overview of the core questions and concepts, major theoretical frameworks, primary methodological approaches, and key controversies and debates in each subfield of policy studies from the policy process and policy analysis to program evaluation and policy implementation. The third edition has been updated throughout to include the latest scholarship and approaches in the field, including new and expanded coverage of behavioral economics, the narrative policy framework, Fourth Generation implementation studies, the policy regime approach, field experiments, and the debate of program versus policy implementation studies. Now with an appendix of sample comprehensive exam questions, The Public Policy Theory Primer remains an indispensable text for the systematic study of public policy.

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2009

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Kevin B. Smith

43 books4 followers

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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Ghasem Safaeinejad.
194 reviews21 followers
July 8, 2018
کتاب خوبیه اما به درد کسی میخوره که سیاستگذاری بلد باشه و قبلا چند تا کتاب راجع بهش خونده باشه. ترجمه اش یه کم سنگینه
Profile Image for Sir Ehssan.
153 reviews13 followers
June 29, 2019
Highly recommend to read it, to get a sence of public policy as an academic field. Delivers a good general idea on whats going on, and covers most of the hot topics and theories. Good read by the way.
Profile Image for Sam.
140 reviews
January 29, 2025
Bruh finally done this. Can’t believe my research advisor said this would be a “worth while read”. Blasphemy.
Profile Image for Ahmed Mohsen.
89 reviews261 followers
August 8, 2019
هذا الكتاب يقدم مدخل جيد للسياسات العامة ، بداية من السؤال الرئيسي هل هناك مجال معرفة بإسم السياسات العامة أم لا؟
يبدأ الكتاب من اجل إجابة هذا السؤال في الفصل الأول بعرض أهم التعريفات لهذا العلم بالإضافة إلى التطور التاريخي له، ثم في الفصل التالية يتناول الكتاب في كل فصل موضوع رئيسي في السياسات العامة ثم يتناول أهم الأفكار الموجودة في هذا الموضوع سواء في الجاتب النظري، أو التيارات المتصارعة داخل هذا الموضوع.
عموما، تقييمي للكتاب انه جيد جدا، وأنه يصلح للدراسة الجامعية كمدخل لدراسة السياسات العامة.
Profile Image for Fred Rose.
629 reviews16 followers
June 2, 2020
This was written to be a textbook and it covers material in an academic / survey mode. From that standpoint it works, but it's not a particularly readable book and could use more examples. In fairness, it is a book on theory. I will take some material from it for my undergraduate and capstone course. For me personally it was good to read this summary as Public Policy Theory is still a new topic for me. Still relating it to all the other fields I know.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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