Book Description
This readable and comprehensive introduction to the principles of public-policy analysis is the first book to integrate the tools students need to analyze politics with the common sense they need to understand how real policies are made. Analyzing Policynot only helps students learn the conceptual foundations of policy analysis, but it also helps them understand the conflicts between markets, democracy, and experts in political decision making. The book offers students the basics of the welfare-economics paradigm and cost-benefit analysis while highlighting the roles that policy analysts play. The analytical techniques presented in the text are applied throughout each chapter and in three chapter-length case studies. Students are challenged to apply these techniques on their own in end-of-chapter exercises and additional problems on Norton's supporting Web site.
Customer Reviews:
Refreshing Public Policy.......2002-05-16
As a student in introductory policy analysis, I fully enjoyed the author's approach to policy. Without an extensive background in economics or political science, the text was still quite manageable because it flowed. It gives enough background info in order to better understand concepts without being a long text. Entertaining, witty, and thorough throughout, the professor I know as a brilliant man who worked for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, enlightens with great precision. Blending a little history of economic and political theory with a skillful modern twist, this is introductory public policy analysis at its best. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Stressing the role of conversation, argument and negotiation in politics, particularly in democratic government, this book offers an empirical study of deliberative politics. Using the parliamentary debates in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States as an empirical base, the authors measure the level of deliberation by constructing a discourse quality index, characterized by a high inter-coder reliability.
Download Description
'Deliberative politics' refers to the role of conversation and arguments in politics. Until recently discussion of deliberative politics took place almost exclusively among political philosophers, but many questions raised in this philosophical discussion cry out for empirical investigation. This book provides the first extended empirical study of deliberative politics, addressing, in particular, questions of the preconditions and consequences of high level deliberation. Using parliamentary debates in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States as an empirical base, the authors measure the level of deliberation by constructing a 'Discourse Quality Index'. As deliberative politics moves to the forefront of political theory, this book makes an important contribution to deliberative democracy.
Customer Reviews:
A sound piece of research.......2005-06-07
If you are interested in the empirical implications of the philosophical literature on deliberative politics, then this book is worth buying. Why? Well, it is simply the first attempt to use Habermas' discourse ethics as a research framework to study parliamentary deliberation. This was done over several years in a cross-national basis (US, UK, Germany and Switzerland) by a team led by Prof. Jürg Steiner. Neatly organized, clear, and very convincing, this book should also be read as a source of inspiration for future research (see pp. 166-169), specially in the informal arenas of the public sphere that Habermas so highly praises.
Book Description
The first undergraduate Congress text written from a rational-choice perspective, Analyzing Congress provides students with the basic analytical tools for understanding congressional politics. In addition to introducing the fundamental concepts of rational-choice theory, the text includes many empirical examples drawn from classic scholarship on Congress. Several chapters conclude with exercises that encourage students to apply the analytical tools they learn. Make the rational choice. Choose Analyzing Congress for your course.
Book Description
Analyzing Interest Groupsexplores the various contexts in which interest groups operate (from each branch of government to electoral and grassroots politics) and offers a wide range of examples (from the experiences of early farm groups, to the modern experiences of groups like the NAACP, Greenpeace, and the NRA), providing knowledge necessary to analyze these groups. Ainsworth utilizes formal theoretic analysis in accord with his own consistent and coherent analysis of interest groups and their activities to create a refreshing and interest text.
Book Description
Employing a conversational tone and offering a wealth of real-world policy examples, Gupta develops the tools and techniques of policy analysis in a sequenced and logical fashion.
The book begins with a brief introduction to the field of public policy and the vital importance of policy analysis in public and non-profit organizations. The students' toolbox is gradually filled, as they are taught research design, hypothesis testing, projection, forecasting, multiple regression, and benefit-cost analysis. Each concept is clearly defined and developed through specific cases, allowing students to master a skill and understand its practical application. Hundreds of tables and figures graphically show ideas and data, while boxed case studies highlight policy dilemmas of particular interest. Abundant key terms and exercises help students review and study.
Customer Reviews:
Analyzing Public Policy.......2007-07-12
This book was very easy to read and the examples are taken from actual events. This helps greatly when preparing for real world issues.
Customer Reviews:
Good introduction to rational choice theory.......2007-06-08
Rational choice theory has become an important perspective in many of the social sciences. The essence of rational choice theory is presented quite straightforwardly in this book by Shepsle and Bonchek. Indeed, I have placed this book on reserve in some of my classes, to introduce students to basic concepts and assumptions of the perspective.
The basic starting concepts include: (a) preferences, which represent various of humanity's want and needs; (b) self-interest, by which people behave according to their preferences. Making decisions occurs under conditions of uncertainty. As the authors put it, (page 18), "More often than not, individuals may not have an exact sense of how an instrument or behavior they might adopt relates to the outcomes they value." Beliefs, another key concept, ". . .describe the hunches an individual has concerning the efficacy of a given instrument or behavior for obtaining something he or she wants. . . ." (page 18). Beliefs, then, connect instruments to outcomes. When a person acts in agreement with both preferences and beliefs, the end result is "instrumental rationality."
For a rational choice theorist, any choice is rational if it is in agreement with one's preferences. People develop a preference ordering, with some ranking higher than others. When one uses higher ranking rather than lower ranking preferences to determine what action to take, the result is "maximization" of results. Shepsle and Bonchek put it thus (page 34): "Making a decision under conditions of risk involves choosing from among alternative lotteries. A rational choice entails choosing the 'best' lottery. The rule of rational choice is known as the Principle of Expected Utility."
In essence, one would follow this principle by selecting the choice that maximizes payoffs in terms of one's preference ordering. Rationality calls for people to make decisions on the basis of expected utility.
The key underlying assumption is that people can carry out analyses consistent with the principle of expected utility, engaging in a sort of rational means-ends analysis.
While this is a major theoretical orientation now, it is subject to considerable criticism as well. There are many well done critiques "out there." Nonetheless, if one wants an introduction to rational choice theory, this is a pretty good starting point.
A Reviewer.......2005-06-24
A decent general overview of its subfield, but not exactly well written. Also, it assumes rat choice is viable on its own, not even acknowledging the work of Chong and others who have been able to couple rat choice with qualitative methods to great effect.
In summary, a somewhat narrow view for an ambitious title.
Simply the Best Book in its field.......2005-02-11
This book analyzes politics from the ground level up. It begins by analyzing individual decision-making, moves onto the collective decision-making processes of groups, and then to the institutions of government. Each of the higher levels is built upon the foundation of the preceding level. This allows the authors to explain such (apparent) paradoxes as how a group of people--each making a rational decision--can produce irrational collective decisions, why a group (as opposed to an individual) can not actually have a preference, and so why the outcome of an election may not represent anything as amorphous as "the will of the people" but be determined by the procedure used in the election process (See also, William Riker's The Art of Political Manipulation, particularly the amusing yet shocking chapter, "The Flying Club.").
Be forewarned, this book is about rational choice theory, and how it explains political outcomes. Whereas a Marxist or social constructionst approach would analyze how group or social structure affects individual choices, Shepsle and Boncheck are analyzing how individual choices create social structure. It's not that easy of a read, as it includes formulas and graphs that most people do not intuitively grasp. But one of the great successes of this book is that most of it can be understood even if you ignore those things. The brief case studies, which show how the ideas apply to actual political issues and events, are particularly well-written, and make the book understandable for the average person.
I would add, that despite the "bad" reputation of rational choice theorists, Shepsle's a heck of a nice guy. Not at all the kind of arrogant snob you might picture as the typical Harvard prof!
Analyzing Political Theory.......2000-07-26
Myself, SUKANT VYAS,am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Dyal Singh (Evening) College of the University of Delhi, India and I also teach postgraduate students - Liberal Politicl Theory and Marxist Political Theory. I have reviewed many books on political theory specifically and have written research articles. This particular book has by now become a handbook for me as a teacher of political science. I do not think there is any better comment for this very useful book for all the scholars of political science. This book is recommended for all interested in politics.
Analyzing Politics; Rationality, Behaviors, and Institutions.......2000-06-14
I am using this book as the primary text of a graduate level course in Rational Action Theory. It is very clear and easy to read, and takes several different and complex matters, and simplifies them. The subject matter involves: How we make decisions, Politics, Statics, and Probability. Of all material that I have read on the subject matter including The Federalist Papers, The Prince, Microeconomics and Behavior, and An Economic Theory of Democracy, this is by far the easiest to understand. I rate this book four stars. I would have rated it five stars if it used examples that were more interesting, and held the reader to the relatively dry subject matter a little better. I am not trying to find fault with this very good work. I just think that it could have been even better if some minor changes had been made.
Book Description
Defenders and critics of the controversial Spitzer study analyze its methodologies and findings
In 2001, Robert L. Spitzer, MD, presented his study on sexual conversion therapy with its controversial findings that some homosexuals can change their sexual orientation. The resulting media sensation and political firestorm that followed enraged the study's critics and emboldened its supporters. Ex-Gay Research: Analyzing the Spitzer Study and Its Relation to Science, Religion, Politics, and Culture presents leading experts examining Spitzer's research methodology and findings to discern whether the study itself deserves deeper consideration or outright dismissal. Every facet of the study is reviewed to discuss the positive or negative aspects of the results, its significance in political and social terms, and the implications for the future.
Dr. Spitzer himself was an instrumental figure in the American Psychiatric Association's decision in 1973 to remove homosexuality as a mental illness listing from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-III. His later study that states that in some individuals, homosexuality may be more fluid than previously thought stirred controversy in the psychiatric community and society at large. His study is presented here to allow the reader to evaluate and consider it for themselves. Leading experts then voice their own pro or con views on the methodology and findings. Ex-Gay Research: Analyzing the Spitzer Study and Its Relation to Science, Religion, Politics, and Culture fearlessly illustrates the sometimes fuzzy boundary between science and politics, courageously spotlighting the culture wars now dividing our society.
Ex-Gay Research: Analyzing the Spitzer Study and Its Relation to Science, Religion, Politics, and Culture discusses:
the ex-gay movement
the nature of scientific inquiry
the relationship between science and politics
the results of sexual conversion therapies
gay and lesbian rights
Ex-Gay Research: Analyzing the Spitzer Study and Its Relation to Science, Religion, Politics, and Culture is essential reading for sex researchers, mental health professionals, pastoral counselors, political activists, and any person asking if one can truly "change" his or her homosexuality.
Book Description
Regime theory has become an increasingly influential approach to the analysis of international relations, particularly in the areas of international political economy and international environmental politics. The conceptual appeal of the idea of "governance without government"--in which a combination of different organizations and institutions supply governance to address specific problems--reflects a world in which the demand for governance is great but the familiar mechanisms for supplying it are weak. Most research on international regimes employs qualitative methods, often using case studies to develop larger theoretical arguments; but a lack of standardization makes comparative analysis difficult. Analyzing International Environmental Regimes introduces the International Regimes Database (IRD), an important methodological innovation that allows scholars to adopt a quantitative approach to the study of international regimes.
The IRD is a relational database that makes it possible to compare records on specific aspects of a number of international environmental regimes that are coded using a single, well-defined set of concepts, definitions, and scales. The book first describes the database and discusses a number of methodological, technical, and architectural issues. It then illustrates the use of the IRD as an analytic tool, drawing on the database for descriptive statistics to evaluate theoretical ideas about compliance, decision rules, and the role of knowledge. A CD containing the full IRD data protocol and all the data currently in the database accompanies the book.
Book Description
With sweeping changes in the Soviet Union and East Europe having shaken core assumptions of U.S. defense policy, it is time to reassess basic questions of American nuclear strategy and force requirements. In a comprehensive analysis of these issues, Charles Glaser argues that even before the recent easing of tension with the Soviet Union, the United States should have revised its nuclear strategy, rejecting deterrent threats that require the ability to destroy Soviet nuclear forces and forgoing entirely efforts to limit damage if all-out nuclear war occurs. Changes in the Soviet Union, suggests Glaser, may be best viewed as creating an opportunity to make revisions that are more than twenty years overdue. Glaser's provocative work is organized in three parts. "The Questions behind the Questions" evaluates the basic factual and theoretical disputes that underlie disagreements about U.S. nuclear weapons policy. "Alternative Nuclear Worlds" compares "mutual assured destruction capabilities" (MAD)--a world in which both superpowers' societies are highly vulnerable to nuclear retaliation--to the basic alternatives: mutual perfect defenses, U.S. superiority, and nuclear disarmament. Would any basic alternatives be preferable to MAD? Drawing on the earlier sections of the book, "Decisions in MAD" addresses key choices facing American decision makers.
Book Description
This text covers the basics of political science. Linking fundamental concepts with contemporary political events and controversies, Grigsby discusses all major topics and illustrates the ways in which these topics impact their lives.
Customer Reviews:
Correcting "A Student".......2006-07-25
I haven't used this book, but need to correct the review by "A Student."
The roots of the Republican Party are classical liberalism. I.e., the liberalism of John Locke; the liberalism that believes in individual property rights and free markets. We call Republicans conservatives, but the classical conservatives believed in a more rigid class system and distrusted free markets because they disrupt social orders.
Perhaps "A Student" should have spent more time listening and less time complaining. He might have learned something.
And that, in a nutshell, is the great difficulty in teaching political science. When teaching chemistry, students don't assume they already know everything. When teaching political science, some students are unable to learn because they are convinced they already know. It only happens with strong conservatives and strong liberals. God bless the moderates--they're the only ones with open minds.
extremely liberally biased view of politics.......2004-07-29
I used this book for PoliSci 101 and although I found it easy to read, I was bothered throughout by the assumptions that every person shares Grigsby's liberal political views on abortion, homosexual issues, etc. I felt as if this book was trying to convert all students into democrats, as if it were THE WAY. The message throughout was, democrat=good, republican=bad. The text even misconstrued the Republican party roots by calling it quote, classical liberalism, unquote. I would rather a textbook to be more unbiased and present information without a liberal agenda attached. However, this may be why it appeals to university professors in the first place.
Excellent, Comprehensive-- A Great Intro.......2000-12-11
You couldn't ask for more in an intro to Political Science text. Grigsby, as fabulous a writer as she is a professor, does a commendable job of raising questions and stating facts about the field of politics and society in general while keeping a detached tone. She applies abstract concepts to real life situations. This is a wonderful book from a great teacher. A must read for 101-variety polisci classes.
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A Practical Guide For Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path To More Effective Problem Solving
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Economics by Example
Public Policy: The Essential Readings
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