Mastering Public Administration : From Max Weber to Dwight Waldo

In this updated third edition of Mastering Public Administration, each chapter spotlights a significant theorist in the field, covering his/her life, research, writings, and impact, introducing the discipline′s most important scholarship in a memorable and approachable manner. The combination of biographical narrative with explanation and analysis makes abstract theories understandable while showing how subject scholars’ ideas relate to each other, providing much-needed context. The book’s chronological organization shows the evolution of public administration theory over time. A new "Legacy in Contemporary Scholarship" feature at the end of every chapter links each theorist’s work to current and cutting-edge research, underscoring just how much a foundational body of work can influence and inspire present-day scholars.

Brian R. Fry is a distinguished professor emeritus in the political science department at The University of South Carolina. He previously taught at Stanford University and was a fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace. He has served on the Executive Council of the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and on the editorial boards of a number of journals in public administration and public policy. In addition to his academic work, Fry has acted as a consultant to government agencies in South Carolina and California.

Jos C.N. Raadschelders, professor of public administration, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, and affiliated professor University of Leiden, the Netherlands. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.