In this account of the way policy issues rise and fall on the national agenda--the first detailed study of so many issues over an extended period--Frank R. Baumgartner and Bryan D. Jones show that rapid change not only can but does happen in the hidebound institutions of government. Short-term, single-issue analyses of public policy, the authors contend, give a narrow and distorted view of public policy as the result of a cozy arrangement between...

"Economics is the queen of the social sciences, and economists are among the most prominent of experts in Washington. No other discipline has its own office in the White House, is as visible in the New York Times, or as frequently mentioned in the Congressional Record. Yet at the same time, the limits on economists' influence are quite clear. Their advice is often ignored until it is politically convenient, and as the current moment shows, politicians...

"On both the left and the right, calls for bold change have become a common feature of American politics. But is this correct? Is bold change the only way forward? Is the United States living in an era that demands the radical transformation of society? Gradual: The Case for Incremental Change in a Radical Age argues that an incremental approach to public policy is not only the best way to describe how government actually works, but a more effective...

How does the government decide what's a problem and what isn't? And what are the consequences of that process? Like individuals, Congress is subject to the "paradox of search." If policy makers don't look for problems, they won't find those that need to be addressed. But if they carry out a thorough search, they will almost certainly find new problems-and with the definition of each new problem comes the possibility of creating a government program...

"Public policy is a broad and interdisciplinary area of study and research in the field tends to reflect this. Yet for those teaching and studying public policy, the disjointed nature of the field can be confusing and cumbersome. This text provides a consistent and coherent framework for uniting the field of public policy. Authors Kevin B. Smith and Christopher W. Larimer offer an organized and comprehensive overview of the core questions and concepts,...

"Marc Holzer and Richard W. Schwester have written a fresh and highly engaging textbook for the introductory course in Public Administration. Their coverage is both comprehensive and cutting-edge, including not only all of the essential topics (organizational theory, human resource management, leadership, program evaluation and policy analysis, budgeting, and the politics of public administration), but also reflecting new realities in public administration:...