Understanding Public Policy

Policy analysis is concerned with "who gets what" in politics and, more importantly, "why" and "what difference it makes." We are concerned not only with what policies governments pursue, but why governments pursue the policies they do, and what the consequences of these policies are. Political science, like other scientific disciplines, has developed a number of concepts and models to help describe and explain political life. These models are not really competitive in the sense that any one could be judged as the "best." Each focuses on separate elements of politics, and each helps us understand different things about political life. We begin with a brief description of eight analytic models in political science and the potential contribution of each to the study of public policy: Institutional model Process model Rational model Incremental model Group model Elite model Public choice model Game theory model Most public policies are a combination of rational planning, incrementalism, competition among groups, elite preferences, public choice, political processes, and institutional influences. Throughout this volume we employ these models, both singly and in combination, to describe and explain public policy. However, certain chapters rely more on one model than another. We attempt to describe and explain public policy by the use of these various analytic models. Readers are not only informed about public policy in a variety of key domestic policy areas; they are also encouraged to utilize these conceptual models in political science to explain the causes and consequences of public policies in these areas. The policy areas studied are: Criminal justice Health and welfare Education Economic policy Taxation International trade and immigration Environmental protection Civil rights State and local spending and services National defense Homeland Security Any of these policy areas might be studied by using more than one model. Frequently our selection of a particular analytic model to study a specific policy area was based as much on pedagogical considerations as on anything else. We simply wanted to demonstrate how political scientists employ analytic models. Once readers are familiar with the nature and uses of analytic models in political science, they may find it interesting to explore the utility of models other than the ones selected by the author in the explanation of particular policy outcomes. For example, we use an elitist model to discuss civil rights policy, but the reader may wish to view civil rights policy from the perspective of group theory. We employ public choice theory to discuss environmental policy, but the reader might prefer studying environmental problems from the perspective of the rational model. In short, this volume is not only an introduction to the study of public policy but also an introduction to the models political scientists use to describe and explain political life. The new 11th Edition ofUnderstanding Public Policybrings policy studies into the post 9/11 world. The chapter on "Defense Policy: Strategies for Serious Games" has been extensively revised to include issues surrounding the use of military force in fighting terrorism, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A new chapter, "Homeland Security: Terrorism and NonDeterrable Threats," describes the goals and methods of terrorists, the U.S. response to the 9/11 attack, the role of the intelligence community in fighting terrorism, and the Patriot Act and the problems it poses for individual liberty. The 11th Edition also includes expanded discussions in educational policy, including the controversy surrounding the "No Child Left Behind Act" and its emphasis on pupil testing. The heated issue of "diversity" in higherDye, Thomas R. is the author of 'Understanding Public Policy', published 2004 under ISBN 9780131174528 and ISBN 0131174525.