Theories of the policy process

"Since the first edition published in 1999 with editor Paul Sabatier, Theories of the Policy Process has served as the quintessential gateway to the field of policy process research for students, scholars and practitioners alike. This enduring and well-regarded volume provides a forum for the creators of, or scholars with deep expertise in, the most established and widely used theoretical frameworks to present the basic propositions, empirical evidence, latest updates, and promising directions for future research. This brief but comprehensive volume covers such classics as Multiple Streams (Zahariadis), Punctuated Equilibrium (Jones et al), Advocacy Coalition Framework (Jenkins-Smith et al.), Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (Ostrom et al.), Policy Diffusion (Berry & Berry), and Social Construction and Policy Design (Schneider et al). This thoroughly updated third edition, with new editor Christopher M. Weible, includes a new introduction on the trajectories and needs of public policy research and two new chapters-- Policy Feedback (Mettler and SoRelle) and Narrative Policy Framework (McBeth et al). A revised chapter presents a comparative analysis and evaluation of the frameworks included in this edition (Cairney & Heikkila), and a new conclusion looks at future directions and emerging areas in the field"--

pt. 1. Introduction. The need for better theories / Paul A. Sabatier ; The stages approach to the policy process: what has it done? where is it going? / Peter deLeon -- pt. 2. Alternative views of the role of rationality in the policy process. Institutional rational choice: an assessment of the institutional analysis and development framework / Elinor Ostrom ; Ambiguity, time, and multiple streams / Nikolaos Zahariadis -- pt. 3. Frameworks focusing on policy change over fairly long periods. Punctuated-equilibrium theory: explaining stability and change in American policymaking / James L. True, Bryan D. Jones, and Frank R. Baumgartner ; The advocacy coalition framework: an assessment / Paul A. Sabatier and Hank C. Jenkins-Smith -- pt. 4. Frameworks comparing policies across a large number of political systems. Innovation and diffusion models in policy research / Frances Stokes Berry and William D. Berry ; The policy process and large-N comparative studies / William Blomquist -- pt. 5. Conclusions. A comparison of frameworks, theories, and models of policy processes / Edella Schlager ; Fostering the development of policy theory / Paul A. Sabatier