ABSTRACT
This book is divided into two parts. Part 1 (Chapters 1–6) explores, after this introductory chapter, a range of theories that have been developed to explain all of, or key aspects of, the policy process. Then, Part 2 (Chapters 8–14) looks at various aspects of the policy process, essentially developing and applying some of the main ideas from the first part. Connections between the theories in the first part and the discussions of the issues in the second part will be made in various ways, including summarising observations at the ends of chapters.
This introductory chapter looks at some important overall considerations about the study of the policy process. It explores the implications of the three key words in the title in reverse order. Thus, it starts with an exploration of what is implied in examining the policy process. That examines the relationship between the ‘descriptive’ aim of this book and the ‘prescriptive’ objectives that motivate much policy analysis. This leads on to a general exploration of the relationship between the study of the policy process and political science, and other social science disciplines, and some consideration of methodological approaches. Two policy examples are used at the end of this discussion to illustrate these points. They are then also used to illustrate the examination of what may be meant by policy. Here, it will be shown again that a distinction may be drawn between approaches to this concept that endeavour to use a very precise, and perhaps prescriptive, meaning and the stance taken in this book that political and ideological contests make that activity difficult and/or contentious. Finally, there is consideration of what is distinctive about the study of public policy. The examination of this topic involves a recognition of the extent to which there are problems with identifying a distinctive public sector, something which is emphasised in modern stresses upon the extent to which ‘government’ needs to be seen to have been replaced by ‘governance’.
