Customer Reviews

Public Policy and Community: Activism and Governance in Texas

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I read this book for an undergraduate public policy class, and found there are a lot more of us in Texas than even I had particularly realized.

Not usually one for case studies (I've seen too many instances where they are used simply to avoid direct discussion of an issue) Wilson takes great pains to select his entries, clearly demonstrating these movements are important because they show how citizens can move goverments, especially those as historically staid as Texas.

Designed under the guise of limiting governmental interference in citizen's daily lives, the part time, twice a year legislature places us at a distinct disadvantage compared to other states. In an era of rapidly normalizing economic and other problems, this form of goverment may prove ultimately inadequate for dealing with 21st century policy realities.

At the same time, he is careful to accord praise on those parts of the current system which do work--certainly including citizen and community participation. Even better, his concept of real citizen participation travels well beyond the rehearsed and sanitized (where goverment only cares if citizen wishes coincidentally match what it intends to do anyways) to champion real empowerment and change.

Even if the process is long and hard (which the studies assure us, it will be) nothing compares to at least going out and attempting to try and change a sittuation for the good of all people. You will come away from this 'textbook' completely mesmerized and invigorated, ready to take on the world yourself.