Public Policies
In the second section of the book we will turn to individual policies. Each of these topics could be a book of its own (in fact, there are many books written on each of these policy areas), so my goal in this section is simply to provide a brief overview of policymaking related to the topic and to point readers to additional resources for more information.
Rather than providing a comprehensive history of each policy, these chapters use the guiding questions from the first half of the book to explore some of the key elements of policymaking within the topic while offering a brief summary of some of the most important policies, actors, and processes.
In the introductory section to each chapter, I define and review the broad contours of the policy topic, highlighting significant individual policies. I also identify a few key themes or trends that affect policymaking on this topic.
In the second section, I outline the broad range of official and unofficial actors involved in policymaking, with the goal of highlighting key policymakers and influencers.
In the third section, I use public policy theory (Either the Multiple Streams Framework or Punctuated Equilibrium) to help explain the timing of policymaking on this topic.
In the fourth section, I provide a brief summary of one or two case studies to illustrate the policymaking process.
In the fifth section, I use public policy theory (particularly the Social Construction of Target Populations) to analyze the policy tools used in one or two specific policies.
In the sixth section, I describe efforts to evaluate the policy and present some of the results of those evaluations.
As in the previous chapters, each of these policy chapters also features a writing focus and a profile of a Gustavus alumni.
And, of course, there will be a list of resources and recommendations for additional reading available at the end of each chapter.
These chapters have been challenging to write because there is much more to say about each topic than I’ve included in each chapter. In preserving my goal of writing concise chapters, I’ve dramatically oversimplified complex topics and left out important policies. Hopefully you’ll understand my reasons and forgive my omissions.
This section of the book is a work in progress. I will continue adding policy chapters as time allows and I may be aided by other contributors. If you have a suggestion for a policy chapter, please feel free to reach out to me with your ideas.
