Studying Public Policy: Principles and Processes

by Michael Howlett, M Ramesh, Anthony Perl

Studying Public Policy develops an analytical framework that will enable students to study public policy more effectively. The first of the books three parts examines different approaches to studying public policy by providing inventories of the relevant types of policy actors, structures, and ideas involved in public policy-making. Part Two then breaks down the policy process into the five sub-processes or sub-stages set out in the policy cycle model and analyzes the variables affecting each stage. Part Three concludes the text with a general commentary on the nature of policy change and stability.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Public Policy, Textbooks

ebook

First published January 18, 1996

About the author

Michael Howlett is Burnaby Mountain Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia. He specializes in public policy studies with an emphasis on natural resource and environmental policy-making. He is currently editor of Policy Sciences, Policy Design and Practice, the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, Policy & Society and the Annual Review of Policy Design.

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, functional textbook on the public policy process. It is a bit brief for my tastes, but is organized nicely.

The first part lays out the basics--Why study public policy? What are the theoretical approaches to public policy? What is the context in which public policy develops. This is an important chapter, since context varies from country to country, and the reader must understand that. I teach a graduate course in public policy and a doctoral course in policy analysis. The chapter on context, to me, is critical in such a class--and the chapter is nicely done in this text.

The next part of the book looks at the stages of the policy process: (1) agenda setting (what are the issues that get on the table for serious discussion); (2) policy formulation (How do we determine the policy alternatives from which to choose?); (3) Decision-making (How does a policy get made?); (4) How are policies implemented (put into effect?); (5) How do we evaluate policies.

The final chapter looks at policy change.

All in all, a nicely written book that considers key issues. Perhaps somewhat more detail would be helpful, but. . . .

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of what is going on. Great read for me coming from academic policy to work with public policy.

[Onyango Gedion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still reading

[Geoff Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very informative book—it is packed with details. The problem is, it is packed with details, which are often boring. The authors often break categories into subcategories, which are then further subdivided to the extent that I lost track and/or interest in the minutiae.

This was a very useful book for Public Policy, but I wouldn't imagine anyone reading it outside of the academic world.

[Dr. Faheem J. Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far better public policy book than many available in the market. Especially for public policy students and researchers. Easy reading, understandable language, reasonable arguments, nice everyday examples and good flow of discussion. I am using this book as one of my key references for the (MPhil/PhD) course on 'power, politics, and public policy' at the School of Public Policy, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.

[Rani Pebriani · Rating 3 out of 5]

good

[JuanSe Montero Beltran]

is very awesome