Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Condition
I purchased this book for my Public Economics Class and the professor uses this book as a supplement to his lectures.I think this book does a good job in explaining the concepts.I did find a few errors in the book though.

The book came in great condition and quickly!

60% of the book is redundant
I am a student at the University of Michigan.And having studied this book for our public finance class, I would say that the author can actually trim the book to 40% of its current length.If you are good at math, thinks rationally, and have some common sense of how the world works or should work then you can reach the same conclusions without reading the book.

A lot of the material is simply common sense.It talks about what the best public policy is for governments, why there is corruption, best form of education management...etc.However, if you find a smart friend and have a rigorous debate with him/her about government (like what most college students do nowadays) you can easily come to the same conclusion.Then put what you come up with into a very succinct math equation and you would have learned the entire material on your own.

Seriously, as an aspiring Micro theorist/Financial economist, this stuff is a joke.The book actually devotes four pages to a discussion of what corruption is and how it works in the government.Prof. Gruber could seriously shorten that to a page in succinct form. The student's opportunity costs should be considered!

The problem with this book is that it assumes that 1. you have no common sense. 2. you are horrendous at math, and thus irrational. 3. Long, run-on sentences will not bore you to sleep.

Go study micro and macro theory, have a solid understanding of it, read the news regularly, think,and this material will come to you naturally. The book is only good for mentioning important research papers and names which will aid the student in his thought.Beyond that, it is largely useless.Anyone can find the statistical content on their own.

Textbook highlights contemporary issues and contemporary research
An excellent textbook for an upper level course for economics majors. There is a lot of inertia in textbook choice, but I was finally convinced to adopt Gruber's book when I served as the Lecturer for Stanford University's upper-level seminar in Public Economics. The textbook has high production values and of particular note is its timeliness in covering both current policy issues (Social Security Reform, Fundamental Tax Reform, Education, etc.) and current public economics research (Political Economy, Behavioral Economics, Contract Theory, etc). Most textbooks on the market offer a very dated view of Public Economics, especially in terms of current research. The book explains the findings using intuition and graphs, but provides mathematical detail in mathematical supplements for the ambitious reader. The accompanying website also provides impressive PowerPoint slides. The student response to the textbook was uniformly positive.

The only downsides are the hefty price tag, worsened by the limited secondary market, and for those who want a more mathematically rigorous treatment in courses that require calculus and optimization, the included supplements were helpful, but still limited. ... Read more

Product Description
An accessible, hands-on approach to planning, creating, and assessing public policy documents--now updated with material on online communication

Now in a new edition, Writing Public Policy is a practical, concise guide to writing and communicating in public policy processes. Designed to help students understand and perform common types of communication used in solving public problems, this text explains the standards and functions of communicating in the public sector and teaches the use of selected public policy communication genres. Catherine F. Smith presents a general method for planning, producing, and assessing communications in a variety of real-life contexts and situations of public policy work.

New to the second edition:

* The text is updated to meet the needs of today's tech-savvy students, and now features a new appendix on adapting policy writing to the Web
* Examples show policy problems from a global perspective, and U.S. policy making by all levels of government
* A new appendix on clear writing
* A new companion website (www.oup.com/us/smith) offers additional guidance and writing samples

Hands-on and accessible, Writing Public Policy, Second Edition, teaches know-how and techniques needed to effectively communicate in the democratic process of making public policy. It is a particularly useful tool for any student preparing for a career in politics, government, public relations, law, public policy, journalism, social work, public health, or in any role concerned with public affairs. ... Read more

Product Description
Re-issued as part of the "Longman Classics in Political Science" series, Kingdon's renowned work features a new Foreword exploring the book's historical and enduring contributions. Kingdon's landmark work on agenda setting and policy formation is now offered in a Longman Classics Edition. This enduring work of original research, drawn from interviews with people in the U.S. federal government over the course of four years, examines the questions of how issues get to be issues for legislators. The book grapples with the questions: How do subjects come to officials' attention? How are the alternatives from which they choose generated? How is the governmental agenda set? Why does an idea's time come when it does? Hailed as one of the finest books about public policy- making, and winner of the 1994 Aaron Wildavsky Award, this book's rich detail and engaging prose make it a text that both students and instructors will savor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A classic in public policy
This is a classic in public policy research, really worth reading and checking once and over again. Useful also for Master or PhD students of management sciences that are pursuing a gov position, or a job related or even indirectly affected by the challenges of political affairs. It covers one of the topics that frustrated me the most when I had the chance of working in a ministry: how do politicians build their agendas? why it happens that a seemingly irrelevant topic is devoted a huge effort in terms of an agency's budget and people, and other far more important topics are sometimes tangently touched or even purposefully ignored?

Not too long, very clear, good examples, a really worth reading.

Agenda Setting in the Policy Process
Kingdon attempts to explain two steps in the policy process: (a) why some issues are placed on the policy agenda while others are not, and (b) why some policy options - out of many alternatives - are considered and selected while others are not.

Like Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) Kingdon contends that multiple, independent "streams" flow through the policy process.The streams consist of (1) problems, (2) policy proposals, and (3) political events (pg. 92).

Kingdon contends that the agenda - "subjects that are getting attention" - arise from the problems and politics steams (21).In regards to problems, Kingdon argues that indicators, focusing events, and feedback bring problems to the attention of government officials.Problems to not only gain attention and rise on the governmental agenda, but they can also fade away as conditions change or interest wanes.Political events - changes in public mood, partisan and ideological shifts, administration changes, etc. - also shape the agenda.Under various political conditions, some issues will prove important, while others will not.Furthermore, actors play a role in shaping the agenda.Visible participants - politicians, the media, parties, etc. - are most influential in setting the agenda.They are in positions to bring issues to light.

The policy stream is primarily concerned with generating alternatives, i.e. a set of conceivable government actions. The policy stream is occupied by "hidden participants," i.e. bureaucrats, academics, congressional staffers, etc.These "hidden participants" generate many alternatives, often before a problem emerges.Within this group of "hidden participants" ideas are bounced around regarding a particular policy area."Within the policy arena, or "policy primeval soup" alternatives face a certain level of natural selection.They are subject to a number of criteria - feasibility, congruence with values, political receptivity - that shape their acceptability.Those alternatives which meet these criteria - and are actively pursued by policy entrepreneurs - remain possibilities, while those that fail are no longer considered.

The question then becomes, how do problems, alternatives, and politics come together to create public policy.The answer lies in the "coupling" of streams.Although Kingdon contends that the streams generally operate independently, at times, they are joined together at "critical junctures" (20), that is, they are formed together into a single package.In such a "coupling," a problem is identified, a solution is "coupled" to it, and the political environment is ripe for action, thus creating a "policy window" in which new public policies can emerge.

Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (Longman Classics Edition) (2nd Edition) (Longman Classics in Political Science)
This book is a great tool to better understand political theory, much of the contents of this book are quite subjective, and although insightfull, i have a hard time argeeing with the author.

Agenda Setting: The Comprehensive Model
This book was used as the underlying basis to understanding the policy process in my graduate level class that I took recently.

Overall I would give this book 5 stars because it is relatively thorough and it encompasses a great deal in a concise model that is easy to understand.

Kingdon discusses that his model is set within three streams, problem, policy and political.Each of these streams have their own unique characteristics that work to help merge with the others.When these streams, ideally all three, a policy window opens where action on policy can occur by a decision-making body such as Congress.With the help of policy entrepreneuers, national mood, policy communities, and much more as agents amongst these streams, each work to produce change on the agenda.

As this class was titled the policy process that I took, it explained how it began but this book does not cover how the process moves once something has been acted upon on the agenda.

If you are looking for understanding more about activity leading up to action, this is a great book.If you are looking to understand the process afterwards, this may not be the right book, but it will help you understand the forces leading up to a process of change.

Definitely, I would recommend this for any political science class at the undergraduate level.I am glad that I was fortunate enough to have it assigned in my grad level policy process class.

Major work on political agenda setting
Agenda setting, in the world of politics, is when a problem becomes identified as an issue that calls for government attention, discussion, and--possibly--decision making.This book is one of the most important works on agenda-setting.

John Kingdon has stated that:

Political events flow along according to their own dynamics and their own rules.Participants perceive swings in national mood, elections bring new administrations to power and new partisan or ideological distributions to Congress, and interest groups of various descriptions press (or fail to press) their demands on government.

The author sees three streams that must come together for an issue to be placed on the agenda--a political stream (just noted above), a policy stream (in which some policy proposal emerges as "best"), and a problem stream (a problem develops that people label as important). If they come together and if the window of opportunity for success is there, then the issue can become an agenda item. If the streams do not come together, agenda placement is unsuccessful--as with President Clinton's health care plan.That plan had two of three requirements in place.One, the political stream was supportive.A new President had been elected with his party having a majority in both houses of Congress; furthermore, Clinton outlined as a campaign issue support for a more ambitious health care program for Americans.The confluence of these two factors produced something like a "mandate" for change.Two, the problem stream saw health care bubbling up toward the top.That is, increasingly, people seemed to define health care as a serious problem about which something had to be done.

Nonetheless, no major initiative emerged to be fully considered.Clinton's plan was very nearly DOA (dead on arrival) once serious discussion began.Why?No single policy proposal garnered enough support.Democrats supported several different plans--such as a single payer system (in which government becomes the insurer), "pay or play" (in which businesses would largely fund health care insurance), and the Clinton plan itself (which focused on managed care).Thus, the policy stream never did "come together" around any single proposal.As a result, the initiative died and no substantial changes were forthcoming in the health care system.

What emerges in each stream is, to a large extent, "contingent," depending upon many factors--including chance.The result is unpredictability.

It may be that this work overemphasizes chance and contingency and underplays the role of human agency (for instance, the role of policy entrepreneurs who labot to get issues placed on the agenda and acted upon).Nonetheless, this is an exemplary work and well worth attending to if one is interested in setting the political agenda. ... Read more

Product Description
Updated in a new 13th edition and the gold-standard for introductory public policy texts, Understanding Public Policy is designed to provide readers with concrete tools for not only understanding public policy in general, but for analyzing specific public policies.

This new edition focuses on the many policy changes initiated by President Barack Obama, with special attention given to the economic policies addressing the global financial crisis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Understanding Public Policy Review
I bought this for school and it was a fraction of the cost as it was in bookstores. Fast shipping too!

Understanding Public Policy
Great price at a timely delivery.Was able to complete pre-class assignment (to read 4 chapters) well ahead of time.

Great experience
This was a great on line experience.I received my purchase within days after my purchase.The item was in great condition as stated in the advertisement.I would definitely purchase from this seller again.

great book
Fast shipping and the book came in perfect condition. This book really helped me to understand how things work. My professor suggested this reading and I think it helped. You do have to understand some basics before you read this book, but again it was a great aid.

Policy
A must read for policy freaks. As well written as any text i have seen on Publid Policy. Written in a style that is very accessable. ... Read more

Product Description
Over the last decade or so, private-sector financing through public-private partnerships (PPPs) has become increasingly popular around the world as a way of procuring and maintaining public-sector infrastructure, in sectors such as transportation (roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, ports, airports), social infrastructure (hospitals, schools, prisons, social housing) public utilities (water supply, waste water treatment, waste disposal), government offices and other accommodation, and other specialised services (communications networks or defence equipment).
This book, based on the author's practical experience on the public- and private-sector sides of the table, reviews the key policy issues which arise for the public sector in considering whether to adopt the PPP procurement route, and the specific application of this policy approach in PPP contracts, comparing international practices in this respect. It offers a systematic and integrated approach to financing PPPs within this public-policy framework, and explains the project-finance techniques used for this purpose. The book deals with both the Concession and PFI models of PPP, and provides a structured introduction for those who are new to the subject, whether in the academic, public-sector, investment, finance or contracting fields, as well as an aide memoire for those developing PPP policies or negotiating PPPs.

The author focuses on practical concepts, issues and techniques, and does not assume any prior knowledge of PPP policy issues or financing techniques. The book describes and explains:
* The different types of PPPs and how these have developed
* Why PPPs are attractive to governments
* General policy issues for the public sector in developing a PPP programme
* PPP procurement procedures and bid evaluation
* The use of project-finance techniques for PPPs
* Sources of funding
* Typical PPP contracts and sub-contracts, and their relationship with the project's financial structure
* Risk assessment from the points of view of the public sector, investors, lenders and other project parties
* Structuring the investment and debt financing
* The key issues in negotiating a project-finance debt facility.
In addition the book includes an extensive glossary, as well as cross-referencing.

*Reviews the PPP policy framework and development from an international perspective
*Covers public- and private-sector financial analysis, structuring and investment in PPPs
*No prior knowledge of project financing required ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent general work with welcome detail for experts, this is indispensible
Yescombe's "Public-Private Partnerships" is a welcome helpful book, especially for non-experts who have not been educated in law.

Any contract or capital structure has peculiarities unto itself which general commentary can summarize. But this is an extreme challenge in the field of public-private partnerships.

Public-private partnerships can take a variety of shapes and sizes, with asymmetric agency concerns involved. Yescombe doesn't address the full utility of individual agents and principals within asymetry (or work through complete n-actor, n-game game theory optimization), but the cautious reader can read between the lines as he walks through the details and he amply raises enough issues to stimulate thought.

Sub-specializations can often develop difficult technical jargon, and Yercombe does an excellent job unpacking the sometimes bewildering use of terms, while sticking to a presumption of a readership coming from a "Black's" and common law perspective.

Yescombe covers a wide range: from general policy developed by government authorities to technical financial analysis, capital structure, procurement, financial and legal venue issues. Yescombe's perspective as a practitioner gives a solidity to the subject matter, and provides an authoritative guide and reference for investors, bankers, companies providing infrastructure or services to public sector authorities and the public at large.

For now, this is the single best work for anyone interested in a public-private partnership. ... Read more

Product Description

Analyzing emerging practices of collaboration in planning and public policy to overcome the challenges complexity, fragmentation and uncertainty, the authors present a new theory of collaborative rationality, to help make sense of the new practices. They enquire in detail into how collaborative rationality works, the theories that inform it, and the potential and pitfalls for democracy in the twenty-first century. Representing the authors’ collective experience based upon over thirty years of research and practice, this is insightful reading for students, educators, scholars, and reflective practitioners in the fields of urban planning, public policy, political science and public administration.

Customer Reviews (1)

This is an excellent research-based book on collaboration
Judith Innes and David Booher's book on planning with complexity is an extremely important contribution to the literature on how to advance the common good in collaborative, shared-power, no-one-fully-in-charge settings. Based on a number of very detailed case studies and a good understanding of the relevant literatures (to which they themselves have contributed), the book carefully explores what can be done, how, and why when organizations must cooperate if they are to achieve good results beyond what they can achieve separately. John M. Bryson, McKnight Presidential Professor of Planning and Public Affairs, University of Minnesota ... Read more

Product Description

Can the U.S. afford universal health-care coverage? Should the EPA continue implementing strict caps on carbon emissions?

The new edition of Issues for Debate promises up-to-date coverage of sixteen important policy controversies and concerns, from managing the economic crisis at home, to the president’s human rights agenda abroad. CQ Researcher readings provide a window into how policy is actually made and implemented and incorporate voices from key players in the policy process, from lobbyists and business leaders to those working in nonprofits and government agencies. Extensively researched, each issue includes current analysis as well as substantial background information,presenting all sides of an issue and laying the groundwork for lively classroom debate.

Advancing critical thinking, each report includes the following useful features:
• pro/con box that examines two competing sides of a single question;
• detailed chronology;
• annotated bibliography and web resources, and
• photos, charts, graphs, and maps.

Product Description
This text uses the policy process (problem identification - adoption and implementation - evaluation - policy succession) as a framework for examining all the major policymaking realms. Each chapter includes a case study of a major policy issue (e.g., the 1996 welfare reform; school choice), as well as a list of key concepts and questions for reflection and discussion. ... Read more

Product Description

Public policy texts need to give a thorough explanation of the policy process, but why do so many relegate policy analysis to a single, final chapter or not cover it at all? In the third edition of their innovative text, Kraft and Furlong take a decidedly different tack. They introduce and integrate an evaluative approach to policy throughout their text, encouraging critical and creative thinking on issues ranging from economic policy and the financial bailout to homeland security and natural disasters.

Public Policy starts with the basics and concisely reviews institutions, policy actors, and major theoretical models. The authors then discuss the nature of policy analysis and its practice, and show readers how to employ evaluative criteria in six substantive policy areas. At its core, Public Policy guides readers through policy alternatives, arming them with analytic tools for understanding how the motivations of policy actors both within and outside of government influence a complex, yet comprehensible, policy agenda. Professors will appreciate its authoritative, balanced approach, and its accessibility will engage readers and keep them reading.

Important features for enhanced readability include:

• Working with Sources and Steps to Analysis feature boxes that help students apply evaluative criteria;
• Policy scenario chapter openers;
• End-of-chapter discussion questions, suggested readings and websites, and keyword lists; 
• A wealth of tables, figures, charts, and photos; and 
• A helpful keyword glossary in the appendix.

In addition to updating throughout all chapters to account for recent events, issues, and policy debates through the end of the Bush presidency, the third edition includes expanded and new coverage of: 

• the mortgage crisis, financial bailout, and ensuing recession;
• the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; 
• the use of private contractors for military support and operations; 
• homeland security and its implications for civil liberties; 
• national energy policy and high gasoline prices, including proposals for increased offshore drilling;
• climate change issues and politics; 
• the government s capacity to handle natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, and Ike; and
• immigration controversies, including construction of fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border.
  ... Read more

  Customer Reviews (4)

  Excellent text
  This is an excellent text.Book was in good condition and arrived ahead of schedule.

  Very satisfied
  I was very pleased with this product. I was pleased with the quickness with the seller mailed to book out.

  Amazing Deal
  I highly recommend anyone to purchase items from this seller.Book came so quickly and saved me tons of money.Book was in great shape and the exact edition I needed.Thanks again!

  review
  perfect quality - no highlighting, no bent pages or cover. basically brand new. not such an exciting subject.. ... Read more

Product Description
Studying Public Policy examines three dimensions of efforts to engage and resolve public problems: policy actors, institutions, and ideas. Using this focus, the book overviews past efforts to understand public policy-making, outlines the different stages of the policy-making process, and discusses the principal elements and patterns of policy dynamics. Developing an analytical framework of the subject, the text examines the theoretical and conceptual foundations of, and approaches used in, policy sciences giving students a solid basis for understanding public policy. This edition has been fully updated with new developments in the field and revised with clear language and an easy-to-understand structure, making it the most current, student-friendly resource available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

more than a superb textbook
Looking around for a book on policy studies for advanced and graduate students, I have carefully checked about two dozen popular introductory works. This one by Howlett and Ramesh is by far the most stringently argued and best structured work on the policy process that I have come across. This book really is an eye-opener on the policy process. My students find it demanding but extremely instructive and stimulating in thinking about how policies are being made. Strong recommendation!

Excellent approach to public policy making in the U.S.
This text offers an excellent approach to the study of the public policy-making process in the U.S. using an applied problem-solving model.It provides brief but insightful glimpses into the history of the field.It widely surveys current thinking and offers good syntheses of past work, e.g., Charles Jones' An Introduction to the Study of Public Policy, James Anderson's Public Policy-Making: An Introduction, and Thomas Dye's Understanding Public Policy.This text, however, goes beyond previous work to provide many helpful models for organizing a wide variety of approaches to the subject, including public choice, welfare economics, corporatism, pluralism, neo-institutionalism, and statism.These models, often displayed in the form of easily understood charts or tables, reveal the basic assumptions underlying the myriad of approaches to the subject, e.g., inductive versus deductive theory construction, and individual, group, or institutional level of analysis.This text offers a very useful taxonomy of typical policy styles with respect to specific areas of government activity to explain the differences between incremental and non-incremental policy change (the latter termed paradigm shifts).Finally, the authors recognize the complexity of both the policy-making process itself and the study of it ... Read more

Product Description
Public Health Policy and Ethics brings together philosophers and practitioners to address the foundations and principles upon which public health policy may be advanced. What is the basis that justifies public health in the first place? Why should individuals be disadvantaged for the sake of the group? How do policy concerns and clinical practice work together and work against each other? Can the boundaries of public health be extended to include social ills that are amenable to group-dynamic solutions? These are some of the crucial questions that form the core of this volume of original essays sure to cause practitioners to engage in a critical re-evaluation of the role of ethics in public health policy.
This volume is unique because of its philosophical approach. It develops a theoretical basis for public health and then examines cutting-edge issues of practice that include social and political issues of public health. In this way the book extends the usual purview of public health. Public Health Policy and Ethics is of interest to those working in public health policy, ethics and social philosophy. It may be used as a textbook for courses on public health policy and ethics, medical ethics, social philosophy and applied or public philosophy. ... Read more

Product Description
In bioethics, discussions of justice have tended to focus on questions of fairness in access to health care: is there a right to medical treatment, and how should priorities be set when medical resources are scarce. But health care is only one of many factors that determine the extent to which people live healthy lives, and fairness is not the only consideration in determining whether a health policy is just. In this pathbreaking book, senior bioethicists Powers and Faden confront foundational issues about health and justice. How much inequality in health can a just society tolerate. The audience for the book is scholars and students of bioethics and moral and political philosophy, as well as anyone interested in public health and health policy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Important contribution to field
This is a crucial addition to the conversation about social justice.Having read Daniels, Nussbaum, Sen & Rawls, I found this text to be contributing to the larger conversation in interesting and new ways.Not light reading, but neither are the other important folks in this field.

In particular, Powers & Faden are putting forward a non-ideal theory, viewing theories of social justice as crucially concerned with remedying unjust situations.

I've assigned this in an undergraduate course and the students are challenged by it but don't find it inaccessible.They are interested and keeping up with the reading.

Book that should prove influential
This book by Madison Powers of Georgetown University and Ruth Faden of Johns Hopkins should prove influential in theories of justice, particularly those applying to health and health care.Powers and Faden move beyond Rawls, and accept many but not all of the ideas espoused by Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen.They differ from those authors in focusing on six factors that need to be attained in sufficient measure to enable the pursuit of lives with a meaningful range of choices and opportunities.Some of these are capacities and others are met only by actual outcomes (particularly in the case of children).It is the job of justice to ensure that these six thresholds are exceeded, and this book lays out the theory to perform that work.

This theory is more easily applied to health because the parameters map toreal-world interventions.The notion of human rights is embedded in several of the parameters, but the theory moves away from a pure rights framework and toward a "sufficiency" criterion of well-being.The final chapters apply the theory to specific problems, such as advantages and limitations of formal quantitative methods for assessing health benefit, and the problem of access to health care (via health care financing).The extra weight accorded to ensuring the six parameters of justice are satisfied for children is explained in a developmental theory, resting on the fact that once developmental windows close, the later adult cannot compensate.Unjust disadvantages from childhoold thus accumulate and reinforce one another irreversibly, limiting future choices and opportunities.

The theory is much more tractable for addressing health and health care than the twists and turns needed to accommodate Rawls.Powers and Faden take up many of the ideas of Sen about "development as freedom" and ensuring sufficiency of capabilities, but differ from him in focusing on actual outcomes rather than mere capacities for some parameters.

This is not beach reading, but it is important and extremely useful. ... Read more

Product Description
This brief text traces the dynamics of the policy-making process, such as the triggering of issue awareness and the implementation process that translates policy into practice. It contains examples from recent and historic cases of public policy-making. ... Read more

Product Description

MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself—including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.­

Public Policy Analysis :An Introductory, 4/e,  introduces students to the process and methodology of public policy analysis. Using a problems-oriented and a multidisciplinary synthesis approach, this text bridges the gap between theory and practice. The text draws from political science, public administration, economics, decision analysis, and social and political theory to achieve the only integrated, multidisciplinary text on policy analysis currently available.

Customer Reviews (3)

A brilliant diatribe written by a bureaucrat's bureaucrat
Everyone once in a while a work comes along that redefine the way humanity organizes itself.The Bible, the Magna Carta, the Unibomber Manifesto, and Mr. Dunn's book all can be placed in that category.

Having attended his classes while in graduate school, I internalized his teachings and made myself a better bureaucrat than anyone could has imagined.Every day I use his book to enlighten me on the manners and ways of building a better bureacracy in my village panchayat in Viknashapathanam District of Andra.

This book is only book I use.

Informational Structure of Policy Analysis: Dunn's approach
C. Nicandro Cruz UNAM. México

This book is an precise and extensive endeavor for understanding the problems, boudaries and potential use and application of knowledge for improving governmental performance.

Te basisof Dunn's approach to policy analysis, is that it depends to the productionand transformation of five policy relevant information (about policyproblems, policy futures, policy actions, policy outcomes and policyperformance) through five policy-analytic procedures (problem-structuring,forecasting, recommendation, monitoring, and evaluation).

Perhaps themost important distinction is that problem structuring, "...whichaffects the use and asessment of the other four procedures, is really ametamethod (method of methods) that funtions as central regulator of theoverall process of policy analysis." (page 65)

This analyticalframework provide one of the most single effective way to analyze publicpolicies and government programs, where the most important analyst's roleis both to generate useful knowledge for decision making in all phases ofpolicy process, and to generate plussible arguments by analythicalprocedures.

It is an ideal book for bachelor and graduate studentsinterested in public problems that face governements, and in the role thatcan play all policy analyst in policy making.

Dunn's contribution to thestudy and use of policy analysis in academic and professional activitiesits out of question. 06-04-200

nickcruz@teleline.es

I want to know aboutwhat is the proposal of analysis's Dun
What is educative policy What is the politics analysi ... Read more

Product Description
"The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice" represents a solid understanding of public policy, then describes each of the various actors in the public policy process at the federal, state and local level. It then specifically applies the public policy concepts to crimial justice (police, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice) and presents a "real-world" case study to convey how all of these facets of the public policy process come together to create new crime policy in the United States. Presents the public policy material in a simplified manner - No need to have a grounding in the public policy field./Contains numerous boxes highlighting the material - Enhances the readability, emphasizes points with real work examples. An excellent tool for those looking to get into the crime policy field. The benefit being an understanding of how the public policy process works and who the various stakeholders are in the process of crafting crime policy in the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Arrived on time an in the condition stated
The book arrived before the estimated delivery date and in the condition specified. Great Buy! ... Read more

Product Description
Harry Jackson and Tony Perkins believe that America stands at a crossroads. As a nation we must choose God's blessings or His destruction of our society. The "Religious Right", as it has been termed, often looks to the world as its enemy, and many Christians have seen themselves as combatants in war against anti-God forces.

In Personal Faith, Public Policy, Jackson and Perkins take a radical new position, stating that the Christian church must lead morally and impact the culture with personal spiritual power and unified Christian public policy, demonstrating how a unified church can tackle each one of the seven major problems of our culture. Achieving victories in each of the seven areas presented will result in vanquishing the big problem facing our country--moral decay. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Current issues dealt with balance of perspectives
Great book on dealing with the issues of the day. The end of the book especially spoke to my heart on how to find balance and make a difference. The global warming issue is well addressed like all the issues. This issue in particular spoke to me as to how easily we sway as a culture from one direction to the other with enough media and publicity without substantial evidence. The authors point out how in the early 70's scientist were writing and speaking about a forthcoming Ice age and now some 40 years later we are seeing pushed a global warming agenda. The agenda is not for the first time, but rather a second or third time since the late 1800's. The authors always bring the focus back around to the Word of God and leave the reader with hope and a divine perspective on all these current matters. A well done write on the very personal and deep seated issues of the day. Social Justice and poverty issues was the best perspective I have yet read. thumbs up to these men of God who wrote with such clarity and authority.

A must-read for christians concerned about their country
I bought this book after hearing Harry Jackson speak.Finally read it 8 months later.FANTASTIC book.If you are a christian who's been wrestling with what a Biblical perspective is on solving the pressing issues in America today, how the church can play a role, and how you can play a role, this book is what you need to read.No matter what your political affiliations or family background is, you will benefit from this book.Absolutely worth your time.

OUTSTANDING
Bishop Harry Jackson and Tony Perkins have clearly articulated the social issues of today that need to be addressed and identified recommendedations for change that need to be addressed by the Church in order to see a much needed revival in this nation.

The Odd Couple Of This Century
Who would have thought that a Democrat and a Republic could see eye to eye in today's political feud.Well, this phenomenon occurs when Harry Jackson and Tony Perkins come together under the submission of God to give our nation a well needed wake-up call.Everyone has a part to play and "Personal Fath Public Policy" challenges each one of us to examine our faith and what we value as a people inorder to cleanse this nation of its sins.This is a text book for college students and a guide for those of us who want to save this country from itself.A must read!

It Really Strikes Home
A powerfully written book that would prove unquestionably useful for every American household. Want answers to problems we're facing as a nation? Pick up this book and share it with a friend.You'll never reget reading this amazing prophetic insight - it will provide concise truths and offer hope for a better future, one filled with hope for our country. Do yourself and a friend a favor and get it today! ... Read more

Product Description
In 1995, James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia undertook the project of writing a comprehensive textbook on crime, inviting 26 internationally recognized authorities to write chapters in their areas of expertise. Their efforts resulted in the best-selling and critically acclaimed text 'Crime'.

The revised edition of this classic text is updated to include relevant and important research in the field that has appaeared since the first edition was issued. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Satisfied
The product arrived promptly and was in the condition seller advised it would be in.

Not just another textbook...
This book was required reading/textbook for a graduate level course I took on Public Policy, Crime and the Criminal Justice System.I have to admit, some of the texts I've had to read have been difficult to get through....talk about DRY!Not so with "Crime: Public Policies for Crime Control."

Any student, practitioner or expert in the field of criminology can attest to the fact that there is no shortage of research and/or articles in the field.The question is:Which articles do you choose?Which articles are so ground-breaking and so profound in their findings that they DEMAND attention?How do you cull through the fluff to get to the stuff that's really worth reading?

Petersilia and Wilson have done the culling for you."Crime" is a must-read for every policymaker and concerned citizen/voter grappling with how we as a society can most effectively address the issues of crime, punishment and incarceration.

"Crime" is contemporary compilation of 19 stunning articles written by 26 authorities in the field.What makes this work so notable is the fact that it relies on facts and data to report what we know about crime, who commits it, and which crime prevention and rehabilitation methods work and which do not.The subjects addressed range from juvenile crime, crime prevention, gun control, families and crime, rehabilitation and treatment programs, substance abuse policy, fair and effective policing, deterrence, and prosecution, to name just a few of the chapter headings.

I was particularly impressed with the following chapters: Community Corrections by Dr. Petersilia; Prosecution by Dr. Forst; Fair and Effective Policing by Dr. Sherman; and Families and Crime by Dr. Farrington.I was blown away by the research.I did not realize how much we really KNOW about crime.
... Read more

Product Description
This collection of 46 key classic and contemporary readings explores the environment within which public policy is made and the actual policy-making process.KEY TOPICS:This book includes readings that are among the most frequently cited or that highlight the link between theory and practice particularly well.It groups readings into four major sections which parallel both the majority of policy texts and the way many courses are designed: the nature of public policy — including theories and models of public policy making, the making of policy — the sequential stages that policies pass through, the players — both institutional and non-institutional, policy making as a game — the rules, strategies, and culture of the policy game.Each section begins with an overview essay. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

very good deal
It was a good price to pay for the book, it was in really good shape, almost new

Book review
Deeply theoretical take on public policy.Students of public policy should find this book to be very helpful.

A Decent Anthology.
As this is the first anthology of public policy writings I've read, I can't comment on the quality here as compared to other writings. What I can say (after reading about 80% of the essays) is that this is like most anthologies: thorough, varied, and very poorly organized.

The essays here range from everything from philosophy of public policy (Dahl's article) to the tidbits of implementation (Sabatier & Mazmanian's article); from the really well-written (Majone and Wildavsky) to real snoozers (Rubin). With all this variance, the one thing I didn't get is any conflict in views presented. I'm no expert, but I'm sure that public policy experts don't actually agree on as much as these contributors seem to. I can't help getting the feeling that the editors views are amply reflected in these pages.

The other complaint is lack of structure. In particular, the section on "The Players" is put after "Making Public Policy." In retrospect, this made much of the latter-mentioned section harder to understand. Of course, this is easily remedied. If you do buy this collection (and I would hesitatingly reccomend it) read section 3 before section 2.

Uneven - there is a better alternative
I agree with the previous reviewer. The anthology is good in principle. Too few students read the original texts. Too many are fed with more or less adequate second-hand versions of what different scholars are saying.

BUT:
- While this anthology contains many classics, there is also a lot of less influential, or totally outdated texts that you should not waste your time on
- A good anthology requires good synthesizing chapters to make it more than the sum of its parts. The introductory chapters in this one are too brief and not very thrilling.
- The texts are too short. You only get little snippets.
- Many texts feel outdated, while much of the current litterature is missing.

There is a MUCH better public policy anthology which meets all these requirements: Daniel C. McCool (1995) "Public Policy Theories, Models, and Concepts" Prentice Hall. I would recommend that book instead, no doubt. Better, longer, more relevant and up-to-date texts, and very good comments by the editor. Have a look at that book instead of this one!

A thorough, if uneven, reader
While selecting textbooks for a public policy theory course, I ran acrossthis reader.It should serve well for a public policy course given acouple limitations.First, the chapters are heterogeneous and uneven.Youwill need to spend some time deciding what readings are worthwhile and howto organize the readings you wish to keep.Second, the readings willrequire explicit integration in to lectures and core textbooks.Thearticles are not very well integrated.In the end, I think this collectionof essays will make an excellent resource for instructors who take the timeto incorporate some of the excellent chapters.If you want to includeoriginal articles from political scientists in a policy course, this is agood place to turn. ... Read more

Product Description
Best-selling AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY: AN INTRODUCTION takes a unique perspective on issues of public policy and presents them in their historical context. Not stopping there, the text also prompts you to evaluate and discuss possible alternatives. The discussion kindled by AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY: AN INTRODUCTION helps make public policy personal by showing you how to apply your knowledge to real-life policies. AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY: AN INTRODUCTION includes updated and expanded coverage on key policy issues: immigration, global climate change, health care reform, No Child Left Behind, gay rights, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The authors present policy material step-by-step, building a picture of the existing policy you can use to evaluate alternatives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Service
The book arrived in a timely fashion and in excellent condition (practically indistinguishable from new).

Required Reading
The "political activist," obviously a poorly-educated person and a person with an agenda which forbids unbiased appreciation of another person's point of view, provides a misleading review of this book, which is a solid introduction to its subject-matter. Do not be fearful of divergent views which do not toe the party line. Enjoy this book.

Personal Bias cheapens the book
I have read this book for a class, and was particularly unimpressed with the positions on civil rights (Chapter 11).Although the focus of thischapter(as with other chapters) was never how the authors personally feltabout various issues and policy areas, reading this chapter alone would nottell you that. Ironically in a chapter about discrimination andstereotypes, there are plenty of generalizations.

Even though theauthors grasped the idea of African American equality, they remark that"The creation of a more favorable public perception of efforts toalter the status of women is perhaps impede by the fact that the NationalOrganization for Women (NOW) is regarded by many as being outside theAmerican mainstream and dominated by extremists"(371)The authors thentry and backpeddle by assuring readers that "In general, most majorwomen's organizations do not take a negative stance againstmen"(372)The idea that the two verbatim quotes can actually beincluded in a professional allegedly netural work is beoynddisbelief.

Furthermore, the subsection on Disability is prefaced asvictims. It fails to acknowllege that each of these subgroups (like womenand African Americans) also had a role in their own respective struggles.

Key legislation and court cases concerning disabled children's right toa free appropriate public education is omitted, and the authors snidelyreference "claims of learning disabilities"(378) Considering thatthe authors are teaching at public institutions, one must wonder whatplanet they have been living on for the past 20 years.

Gone completelyis a discussion of the Asian American and Chicano rights movement. NativeAmericans and GLBT rights are squeezed in as an afterthought, which isparticularly ironic given the current very visible presence of thatmovement.

I sympathize deeply with any student who has to read thistextbook and urge you to do further research when you get to Chapter 10. Iurge professors and faculty (if they have not do so already) to look foranother book. While my public policy class turned out fairly well in spiteof this book, others shouldn't have to repeat the same path if possible. ... Read more