Theories of the policy process
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Theories of the policy process
（Theoretical lenses on public policy）
Westview Press, c1999
- : hbk
- : pbk
Available at 43 libraries
Note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: hbk ISBN 9780813399850
Description
Contributors use the most promising and widely-held public policy theories to present the basic propositions of their framework and to discuss promising directions for future research.. The process of public policymaking is normally very complex, involving hundreds of actors from interest groups, governmental institutions, journalists, and the research community who have different goals, perceptions of the situation, and policy preferences. Given this complexity, the analyst must find some way of simplifying the situation in order to have any chance of understanding it. Theories of the Policy Process provides a forum for the proponents of the most promising and widely-used theories to present the basic propositions of their frameworks, to assess the empirical evidence that has developed over the past decade, and to discuss promising directions for future research. The process of public policymaking is normally very complex, involving hundreds of actors from interest groups, governmental institutions, journalists, and the research community who have different goals, perceptions of the situation, and policy preferences.
In any given policy domain, such as health care or air pollution control, there are normally dozens of programs involving multiple levels of government. Given this complexity, the analyst must find some way of simplifying the situation in order to have any chance of understanding it. Such simplification involves assumptions about which factors and relationships are critical and those that can safely be ignored. Theories of the Policy Process provides a forum for the proponents of the most promising and widely-used theories to present the basic propositions of their frameworks, to assess the empirical evidence that has developed over the past decade, and to discuss promising directions for future research. The frameworks include the stages heuristic (Jones and deLeon) and comparative state politics framework (Hofferbert and Dye) developed in the early 1970s, as well as several frameworks that have been developed since 1980.
These include institutional rational choice (Ostrom, Scholz, Scharpf), punctuated equilibrium (Baumgartner and Jones), multiple streams (Kingdon and Zahariadis), the advocacy coalition framework (Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith), and policy diffusion approaches (Berry and Berry). In addition, Edella Schlager presents a comparative analysis and evaluation of the more recent frameworks, and the editor suggests a number of strategies for improving the state of theorizing in this field.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Need for Better Theories (Paul Sabatier)
- The Stages Approach to the Policy Process: What Has It Done? Where Is It Going? (Peter deLeon)
- Alternative Views of the Role of Rationality in the Policy Process
- Institutional Rational Choice: An Assessment of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (Elinor Ostrom)
- Ambiguity, Time, and Multiple Steams (Nikolaos Zahariadis)
- Frameworks Focusing On Policy Change Over Fairly Long Periods
- Punctuated-Equilibrium Theory: Explaining Stability and Change in American Policymaking (Bryan Jones, Frank Baumgartner, and James True)
- The Advocacy Coalition Framework: An Assessment (Paul Sabatier and Hank Jenkins-Smith)
- Frameworks Comparing Policies Across A Large Number Of Political Systems
- Innovation and Diffusion Models in Policy Research (William Berry and Frances Stokes Berry)
- The Policy Process and Large- N Comparative Studies (William Blomquist)
- Conclusions
- A Comparison of Frameworks, Theories, and Models of Policy Processes (Edella Schlager)
- Fostering the Development of Policy Theory (Paul Sabatier)
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780813399867
Description
Contributors use the most promising and widely-held public policy theories to present the basic propositions of their framework and to discuss promising directions for future research.. The process of public policymaking is normally very complex, involving hundreds of actors from interest groups, governmental institutions, journalists, and the research community who have different goals, perceptions of the situation, and policy preferences. Given this complexity, the analyst must find some way of simplifying the situation in order to have any chance of understanding it. Theories of the Policy Process provides a forum for the proponents of the most promising and widely-used theories to present the basic propositions of their frameworks, to assess the empirical evidence that has developed over the past decade, and to discuss promising directions for future research. The process of public policymaking is normally very complex, involving hundreds of actors from interest groups, governmental institutions, journalists, and the research community who have different goals, perceptions of the situation, and policy preferences.
In any given policy domain, such as health care or air pollution control, there are normally dozens of programs involving multiple levels of government. Given this complexity, the analyst must find some way of simplifying the situation in order to have any chance of understanding it. Such simplification involves assumptions about which factors and relationships are critical and those that can safely be ignored. Theories of the Policy Process provides a forum for the proponents of the most promising and widely-used theories to present the basic propositions of their frameworks, to assess the empirical evidence that has developed over the past decade, and to discuss promising directions for future research. The frameworks include the stages heuristic (Jones and deLeon) and comparative state politics framework (Hofferbert and Dye) developed in the early 1970s, as well as several frameworks that have been developed since 1980.
These include institutional rational choice (Ostrom, Scholz, Scharpf), punctuated equilibrium (Baumgartner and Jones), multiple streams (Kingdon and Zahariadis), the advocacy coalition framework (Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith), and policy diffusion approaches (Berry and Berry). In addition, Edella Schlager presents a comparative analysis and evaluation of the more recent frameworks, and the editor suggests a number of strategies for improving the state of theorizing in this field.
Table of Contents
Introduction The Need for Better Theories (Paul Sabatier) The Stages Approach to the Policy Process: What Has It Done? Where Is It Going? (Peter deLeon) * Alternative Views of the Role of Rationality in the Policy Process Institutional Rational Choice: An Assessment of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (Elinor Ostrom) Ambiguity, Time, and Multiple Steams (Nikolaos Zahariadis) * Frameworks Focusing On Policy Change Over Fairly Long Periods Punctuated-Equilibrium Theory: Explaining Stability and Change in American Policymaking (Bryan Jones, Frank Baumgartner, and James True) The Advocacy Coalition Framework: An Assessment (Paul Sabatier and Hank Jenkins-Smith) * Frameworks Comparing Policies Across A Large Number Of Political Systems Innovation and Diffusion Models in Policy Research (William Berry and Frances Stokes Berry) The Policy Process and Large- N Comparative Studies (William Blomquist) * Conclusions A Comparison of Frameworks, Theories, and Models of Policy Processes (Edella Schlager) Fostering the Development of Policy Theory (Paul Sabatier)
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