Understanding Public Policy (10th Edition) [Hardcover]

Thomas R. Dye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0130260088 | ISBN-13: 978-0130260086 | Edition: 10

Cutting-edge in approach, this book gives readers concrete tools for not only understanding public policy in general, but for analyzing specific public policies. It focuses on what policies governments pursue, why governments pursue the policies they do, and what the consequences of these policies are. Very contemporary in perspective, it introduces eight analytical models currently used by political scientists to describe and explain political life and then, using these various analytical models—singly and in combination--explores specific public policies in a variety of key domestic policy areas. Explores eight analytic models--rationalism, incrementalism, elitism, interest group conflict, institutionalism, game theory, public choice, and the familiar policy process model. Uses the various analytic models to describe and explain public policy in such areas as criminal justice, health and welfare, education, economic policy, taxation, international trade and immigration, environmental protection, civil rights, federalism, and national defense. For anyone interested in the complex dynamics of the public policy making process in relation to a broad range of contemporary issues.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This introduction to the models political scientists use to describe and explain political life explores what policies governments pursue, why governments pursue the policies they do, and what the consequences of these policies are. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Cutting-edge in approach, this book gives readers concrete tools for not only understanding public policy in general, but for analyzing specific public policies. It focuses on what policies governments pursue, why governments pursue the policies they do, and what the consequences of these policies are. Very contemporary in perspective, it introduces eight analytical models currently used by political scientists to describe and explain political life and then, using these various analytical models—singly and in combination--explores specific public policies in a variety of key domestic policy areas. Explores eight analytic models--rationalism, incrementalism, elitism, interest group conflict, institutionalism, game theory, public choice, and the familiar policy process model. Uses the various analytic models to describe and explain public policy in such areas as criminal justice, health and welfare, education, economic policy, taxation, international trade and immigration, environmental protection, civil rights, federalism, and national defense. For anyone interested in the complex dynamics of the public policy making process in relation to a broad range of contemporary issues.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 335 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 10 edition (June 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130260088
• ISBN-13: 978-0130260086
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing and shallow, May 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Understanding Public Policy (Hardcover)

This book attempts to present public policy theories (incrementalism, group theory, elitism and so on) together with a number of concrete applications, in order to demonstrate how different theories highlights different aspects of policy making. It is not so much a matter of which theory is correct, but which theory is useful to analyze a certain issue. All this is of course very fine.

The problem with the book is that the theories are presented so briefly, and the analyses are so shallow, that the student cannot possibly get a good grasp of what is really going on. The basic concept "policy process" is not dealt with until chapter 14 (of 15 chapters)! Only 4 pages are devoted to the fundamental problem of agenda-setting. Further, the book lacks references to most of the exciting current litterature in the field. The interested student will not find many suggestions on how to move on from this book.

The author seems to be much more interested in describing policies than analyzing them. Indeed, the book does offer some nice case studies on important American policy issues, like abortion, arms race, and nuclear power. These cases could perhaps be used as material for exercises, but look elsewhere for theory.

If you are looking for an introduction to theories of public policy I would recommend Howlett & Ramesh: "Studying Public Policy" instead of this book -- it is slightly older, but still more up-to-date. But if you want a 300-page description of American policies in different policy areas, then look no further.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to public policy, March 29, 2007

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Understanding Public Policy (12th Edition) (Hardcover)

Thomas Dye is an eminent political scientist. His textbook on public policy is one of the standards. It may not be elegantly written, but it remains one of the popular texts in the field.

Its key distinguishing figure is the contention that we need to be aware of different "models" of politics as these inform our understanding of public policy. Models are simplifications of reality to highlight certain key aspects of a phenomenon--in this case policy.

A series of models is outlined in chapter 2: institutionalism, process, rationalism, Incrementalism, group theory, elite theory, public choice theory, and game theory. One could add others, of course, but these are the ones used by Dye. The third chapter discusses the standard perspective on the stages of the policy process--from problem identification and agenda setting to policy evaluation.

Subsequent chapters examine different policy areas as these might be elucidated by various models of the policy process (e.g., group politics and education policy or Incrementalism in economic policy or game theory and defense policy, to illustrate).

While, in many senses, this is not an exciting volume, it provides a useful introduction to the policy process and those models that are often used to explain what happens.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Public Policy, May 14, 2007

By 

Road King Rider (Galena, MD United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Understanding Public Policy (12th Edition) (Hardcover)

Well written book, however the author does slant some of his writings towards his own opinion. The editor should find a new job! Numerous typos throughout the book.