Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (Longman Classics Edition) (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

John W. Kingdon (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321121856 | ISBN-13: 978-0321121851 | Publication Date: August 31, 2002 | Edition: 2nd

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 2nd edition (August 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321121856
• ISBN-13: 978-0321121851
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Government     > Public Policy

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, just a little expensive, January 7, 2003

By 

Carl A. Redman (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

John Kingdon attempts to answer very difficult questions in his work "Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies." What makes an idea's time come? What makes people in and around government attend to some subjects and not to others? In short, Kingdon explores how ideas become policy in his 1994 award-winning book.

The book makes many interesting conclusions, as Kingdon uses scientific research methods to discuss how ideas become policy. It is amazing that Kingdon is able to quantify how influential certain groups are to policy formulation and implementation. In doing this, he looks at the influence of groups in and outside of government. Kingdon then goes onto his major two concepts of the policy primeval soup and the political stream. Both of these are wonderful illustrations of how policymaking happens.

In the end, this is a great book for public policy students. My only complaint is that Kingdon is oftentimes too wordy. It seems that he could have written a much more effective piece by summing it up in a 40-page journal article. In any event, the book is worth the read, even if some chapters are only skimmed.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good theory, easy to read, October 9, 2004

By 

Newsman78 "newsman78" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Kingdon has produced an innovative and useful theory of the policy process. This book is clearly not intended for the lay reader, but for political scientists and policy specialists interested in theorizing about policy formation.

Kingdon's writing style is somewhat formal, and at times stiff, but the book is easy to get through. Kingdon provides many concrete examples of the ideas he discusses, making the abstract principles easier to understand.

Recommended for classes on the policy process, especially in conjunction with Baumgarter and Jones' Agendas and Instability in American Politics.

33 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book on public policy formulation, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

In this very readable book, Kindgon provides an insightful perspective on how agendas are set and public policies made in the government. Using the "garbage can model" as the basis and starting point, Kindgon develops his "policy window" concept of policy making that has three fundamental components: problems, policies, and politics. Each component has a life of its own and is independent from each other. The concept of "policy entrepreneurs" is also introduced.

I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in public policy formulation.