An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts and Models of Public Policy Making

by Thomas A. Birkland

A concise, accessible introduction to the public policy process that can be read on may levels. The author's direct writing style and extensive use of examples will appeal to students as well as practitioners. The book offers an extensive overview of the best current thinking on the policy process, with an emphasis on accessibility and synthesis rather than novelty or abstraction. An extensive glossary of terms, keyed to the chapters in which each term is most thoroughly discussed; an annotated bibliography; and an introduction to web-based research, with a guide to the most important and reliable public policy research sites, are among the book's many useful features.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Public Policy, Textbooks, School, Political Science, Academic

310 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

Had to use this book for my masters course, it explained the concepts clearly and seemed to be a good place to start discussions.

[Rachel Smalter Hall]

I LOVE talking about Policy! This was recommended by a professor for my Masters program in Library and Information Science. For someone like me who never actually HAD to take a course in U.S. Government, it proved to be an enlightening and comprehensive look at the basic components of the policy process. Birkland offers some pretty level perspective on thinking about stakeholders, triggering events, intended and unintended consequences, and he even delves into a brief introduction of policy theory.

[Marwan]

It's a good introduction to a the policy world

[milo]

for pbpl5 (it seems like those are the only books i read at this point)

boring but necessary. i did it though. u know i did it. go me.

[Airason]

This is a strong introduction to the public policy making process.

[Kayte]

Great Definition of Organizational Learning in Chp 9

[Dr. Reem A. Alfrayan]

I like its simplicity a good intro to the theories, concepts and models of policy making ....

[Emily Herman]

While quite dense, this book possessed a lot of valuable information on the policy process. The overall structure of the text was logical. There were a handful of glaringly biased statements which took away from the credibility of the sections they were in. Chapter 11 could have been synthesized more similarly to the rest of the text. My level of understanding dropped in reading about the theoretical frameworks. (It was not useful to me in current form.)

[Shannon]

A solid intro to public policy analysis with clear descriptions and examples.

[Jen]

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzZzzz

[Shena]

for a textbook i did not touch all term until the nights before the midterm and final this was not terrible to get through

[Olive]

This had some mildly interesting information, but it really turns me off when a book has a direct quote from a dictionary.

[Sarah Calvert]

Good intro to policy discussion, kinda dry bc it's a textbook 🙃 but it wasn't a bad read (I'm also a political science nerd tho)

[sloane]

Long Winded but Beneficial Information

[Grant Beilke]

a bit dry

[Steven Peterson]

There are a number of books "out there" on the nature of the public policy process. This is one of the better textbooks on the subject.

The book begins with a solid chapter on the nature of public policy and how we study the phenomenon. This flows into the second chapter, which focuses on the history of public policy (going back to Constitutional design) and culminates with a discussion (albeit brief) of the fragmentation of the policy process.

The next two chapters explore key actors--official governmental actors like the President and Congress and unofficial actors such as media and think tanks.

Thereafter, the text focuses on the various "stages" of the policy process--from agenda setting to policy types to policy design and the toolbox of policies to implementation.

The volume concludes with an examination of several theories of the policy process.

This book isn't the best of the lot; however, it is a good, serviceable introduction to the policy process.

[Angela]

So far finding it both interesting and useful. Reading it for class.

[Mills College Library]

320.6 B6192 2011

[Keith]

I enjoyed some sections of this book, especially the first 3 chapters. I find that the there are other books on public policy that do a better job of outlining the policy process.

[Lilia E]

Read for my undegrad studies.