Lobbying and Policymaking
The Public Pursuit of Private Interests
1st Edition
Published on 8. January 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-60426-469-2 (ISBN)
Description
Spurred by the disconnect between what was being taught in the classroom and actual practice, Godwin, Ainsworth, and Godwin set out to answer the question, "Was political science missing some key aspects of the interactions between lobbyists and policy makers?" Built on interviews with over 100 lobbyists, these authors show that much of the research on organized interests overlooks the lobbying of regulatory agencies even though it accounts for almost half of all lobbying-even though bureaucratic agencies have considerable leeway in the how they choose to implement law. This groundbreaking new book argues that lobbying activity is not mainly a struggle among competing interests over highly collective goods; rather, it's the public provision of private goods. And more to the point, this shift in understanding influences our perception of the strengths and weaknesses of American democracy.
Through a series of highly readable case studies, the authors employ both neopluralist and exchange perspectives to explore the lobbying activity that occurs in the later stages of the policymaking process which are typically less partisan, involve little conflict, and receive scant public attention. Lobbying and Policymaking sheds new light on lobbying influence on the policy process, and is an ideal way to expose students to cutting-edge research in an accessible, fascinating package.
Through a series of highly readable case studies, the authors employ both neopluralist and exchange perspectives to explore the lobbying activity that occurs in the later stages of the policymaking process which are typically less partisan, involve little conflict, and receive scant public attention. Lobbying and Policymaking sheds new light on lobbying influence on the policy process, and is an ideal way to expose students to cutting-edge research in an accessible, fascinating package.
Reviews / Votes
"Lobbying and Policymaking is an important addition to the interest group and policymaking literature particularly in the context of the role that lobbying has on rulemaking, which one might argue is the primary policymaking process currently in use in the United States. The authors do a wonderful job providing a strong theoretical background, discussing the important research to date, and putting that research into an important context for their own research. The balance between the use of case studies and quantitative data makes this a highly readable and accessible book. Students and scholars will garner a new appreciation of the role of lobbying particularly as it relates to the bureaucracy." -- Scott Furlong "With a host of empirical examples and a solid set of theoretical underpinnings, Godwin, Ainsworth, and Godwin have written a lively, rigorous text that integrates our understanding of lobbying and the policymaking process. The authors cast their net widely, using lobbying as a means to understand how policies are made in legislative, regulatory, and bureaucratic settings. Lobbying and Policymaking will guide students through the intricacies of policy making, neither oversimplifying the process nor making it seem so complex to defy comprehension. Tying together their own research with a strong overview of both lobbying and policy making, Godwin, Ainsworth, and Godwin have provided a road map for understanding of who gets what, when, where, and why." -- Burdett Loomis "Godwin, Ainsworth, and Godwin have produced a book that is thorough and rigorous, rich in theory and data. Students will learn much from it. So will their professors. By integrating models of interest group influence with models of policymaking, the authors illustrate why and how lobbying strategies vary over time and across settings. The discussion and analysis of neopluralism and exchange theory will provide students with valuable tools to make sense of interest group politics and the policy process. The focus on regulatory policy is an especially useful feature of this book. Regulatory politics tends not to receive much attention in standard texts on interest groups. Lobbying and Policymaking fills an important gap by illustrating how a lot of lobbying activity takes place out of public view - which is just how many interests want it!" -- Julio Borquez "The approach of the book to interest groups and public policy is one of its great strengths. The authors are on top of the literature, and have done a great deal of research of their own. I applaud their effort to keep theories, models and frameworks prominent in the chapters. As the authors stress, covering agency rulemaking is very important, but often neglected, in studies of interest group influence. Coverage is another great strength of the book." -- Donald Baumer "Books about lobbying usually either over-emphasize theory or they over-generalize from exciting stores. Lobbying and Policymaking brings a beautiful blend of both. Theories about lobbying and interest groups are brought to life through compelling cases. In my experience, people learn best when they integrate their heads (the theory side) with their guts (working through real problems). Lobbying and Policymaking strikes the perfect balance" -- David KingMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
384 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-60426-469-2 (9781604264692)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Kenneth Godwin is the Marshall Rauch Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. He previously taught at the University of North Texas, University of Arizona, and Oregon State University. He also served as the Rockefeller Environmental Fellow at Resources for the Future. Godwin is the author or coauthor of seven books concerning public policy issues and interest groups. His articles have appeared in numerous journals including the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Southern Economic Journal, Public Choice, and AI. From 2000 to 2006, he served as the coeditor of Political Research Quarterly. Scott H. Ainsworth is professor of political science in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. His work on lobbying, interest groups, and the U.S. Congress has appeared in numerous outlets including the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Legislative Studies Quarterly. He is the author of Analyzing Interest Groups and coauthor of Abortion Politics in Congress: Strategic Incrementalism and Policy Change. Erik Godwin is assistant professor of political science at Texas A&M University. His research interests focus on policy design and its implementation by the federal bureaucracy. Godwin received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and he holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan. Godwin previously conducted financial and economic analyses for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. He joined the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Clinton White House. After leaving the White House, he spent six years as an executive-branch lobbyist on environmental, energy, and health issues.
Content
1. Key Concepts and Ideas
2. Models of Influence
3. The Policy Process
4. Policymaking by Regulatory Agencies
5. Interest Group Participation, Strategies and Success in the Regulatory Process
6. Lobbying Alone or Cooperatively
7. The Case for Neopluralism
8. Evidence for the Exchange Model
9. Building a Model of Lobbying
10. Conclusions and Implications
Bibliography
Glossary of Terms
Appendix 1: So You Think You Want to Be a Lobbyist
2. Models of Influence
3. The Policy Process
4. Policymaking by Regulatory Agencies
5. Interest Group Participation, Strategies and Success in the Regulatory Process
6. Lobbying Alone or Cooperatively
7. The Case for Neopluralism
8. Evidence for the Exchange Model
9. Building a Model of Lobbying
10. Conclusions and Implications
Bibliography
Glossary of Terms
Appendix 1: So You Think You Want to Be a Lobbyist