Public Policy
Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives

Eighth Edition

Michael E. Kraft - University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, USA
Scott R. Furlong - State University of New York at Oswego

Other Titles in:
Public Policy & Public Administration

October 2023 | 568 pages | CQ Press

With the right information, we can develop public policies that work better.

Public Policy: 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 various strategies are used in support of political arguments.

Part I: The Study of Public Policy

Chapter 1: Public Policy and Politics

What Is Public Policy?

Defining Basic Concepts

Why Study Public Policy?

The Contexts of Public Policy

The Reasons for Government Involvement

The Practice of Policy Analysis

Chapter 2: Government Institutions and Policy Actors

Growth of Government

Government Institutions and Policy Capacity

Federalism

Separation of Powers

Informal Policy Actors and Policy Capacity

Improving Policy Capacity

Chapter 3: Understanding Public Policymaking

Theories of Politics and Public Policy

The Policy Process Model

Instruments of Public Policy

Policy Typologies

Part II: Analyzing Public Policy

Chapter 4: Policy Analysis: An Introduction

The Nature of Policy Analysis

Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Types of Policy Analysis

What Kind of Analysis Is Needed?

Chapter 5: Public Problems and Policy Alternatives

Problem Analysis

How to Find Information

Constructing Alternatives

Thinking Creatively about Policy Action

Chapter 6: Assessing Policy Alternatives

Evaluative Criteria for Judging Policy Proposals

Using the Methods of Policy Analysis

Economic Approaches

Decision-Making and Impacts

Political and Institutional Approaches

Ethical Analysis

Part III: Issues and Controversies in Public Policy

Chapter 7: Economic and Budgetary Policy

Goals of Economic Policy

Tools of Economic Policy

The Budget Process and Its Effect on Economic Policy

Economic Policy: Successes and Failures

Economic Issues and Challenges

Deficits and Debt

Focused Discussion: Fiscal Policy and Economic Recovery

Chapter 8: Health Care Policy

Major Government Health Care Programs

Other Health Care Policy Issues

Rising Health Care Costs

Managed Care Organizations

Reducing Health Care Costs

Quality of Care

Focused Discussion: Should There Be Greater Emphasis on Preventive Health Care?

Chapter 9: Welfare and Social Security Policy

Social Security

Welfare

Focused Discussion: Can We Do Better? Addressing Poverty

Chapter 10: Education Policy

Problems Facing Education

Education Policy Reforms

Higher Education Issues

Focused Discussion: Higher Education Affordability, Cost, and Value

Chapter 11: Environmental and Energy Policy

The Evolution of Environmental and Energy Policy

From Consensus to Conflict in Environmental Policy

Major Federal Environmental Policies

Energy Policy

Focused Discussion: Climate Change and Energy Policy Alternatives

Chapter 12: Foreign Policy and Homeland Security

Background and Policy Evolution

Selected Issues in Homeland Security

Focused Discussion: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism

Part IV: Conclusions

Chapter 13: Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice

Policy Analysis, Citizen Participation, and Policy Change

Public Policies and Their Impacts

Policy Analysis and Policy Choices

Citizen Participation in Decision-Making

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site

"This text provides a succinct and logically streamlined survey of introductory public policy material, equipping students with a knowledge base of the policymaking and policy analysis process."

Benjamin Melusky

Old Dominion University

Review

Its a great textbook for undergrad students to go through the various contours of policy analysis and policymaking in the U.S. context. Easy to follow with great examples and case studies across multiple policy fields.

Mr Ali Ahsan

Political Science Dept, West Virginia University - Morgantown

April 2, 2024

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