Public Policy Praxis: A Case Approach for Understanding Policy and Analysis

Public administration and policy analysis education have long emphasized tidiness, stages, and rationality, but practitioners increasingly work in a world where objectivity is buffeted by, repressed by, and sometimes defeated by value conflict. Over five beautifully-written and accessible editions, Public Policy Praxis has demonstrated that politics and policy are “messy” and power explains much more about the policy process than does rationality. Using a case-based approach, authors Randy S. Clemons and Mark K. McBeth blend theory and practice to uniquely equip students to better grapple with ambiguity and complexity.

Public Policy Praxis introduces students to the “how” of policy analysis alongside its limitations, practical political problems, and the ethical problems associated with different techniques and methodologies. By offering six different analytical models of policy analysis―rational, quantitative, political, pragmatic, postpositivist, and democratic―the reader explores multiple perspectives to tackle complex policy issues. Unlike many U.S.-centric public policy books on the market, Public Policy Praxis is designed to work in international policy settings. New features include expanded coverage of narrative analysis, earlier introduction of mixed methods, updated cases on pressing issues like opioid abuse, school safety, and renewable energy, and enhanced discussions of political polarization and evidence-based policymaking. A fully-updated online Teaching Appendix is included for adopters, offering original cases, answers to problems, alternative approaches to case use, teaching exercises, student assignments, pedagogical ideas, and supplemental material directly tied to concepts covered in the text.

With a conversational writing style, Public Policy Praxis, 5th Edition is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in public policy analysis, community planning, leadership, social welfare policy, educational policy, family policy, and special seminars.

Randy S. Clemons is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Mercyhurst University, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.

Mark K. McBeth is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Idaho State University, USA.