
Understanding the policy process
Analysing welfare policy and practice
Policy Press
2nd Edition
Published on 26. March 2009
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-84742-268-2 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check different version
Description
This book draws on the latest and best social science to explain how and why social policy change occurs. Focusing on the policy making process as the key to change, it uses core concepts of policy analysis, one in each chapter, to build up a fully worked explanation of social policy change and to equip readers with knowledge that can be applied to any aspect of welfare policy and public and social policy more generally. This second edition of the book updates the bestselling first edition for the post-Blair era with international case studies from numerous countries. "Understanding the Policy Process": introduces the main themes of the policy analysis literature; demonstrates the centrality of the policy making process to an understanding of the operational possibilities and limits of social policy; takes account of macro-, meso- and micro-level approaches to social policy analysis; uses clear explanations of key concepts, up-to-date illustrative case studies and examples to increase students' understanding of the theory and practice of policy analysis; and, uses a comparative approach.
Reviews / Votes
"I think it is the best book of its kind available for students, and I would not hesitate to recommend it." Ian Greener in Journal of Social Policy "An excellent overview - clear and well-written" Sevasti-Melissa Nolas, University of Sussex "This is an exciting and innovative textbook on welfare policy making... introducing students of social policy to a wealth of perspectives and literature not often brought together in an introductory book... an outstanding text." British Journal of Social Work, review of 1st editionMore details
Series
Edition
2nd New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
New edition
Illustrations
Not illustrated
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 172 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84742-268-2 (9781847422682)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2009
2nd Edition
Policy Press
€47.99
Available for download
Previous edition
Book
06/2004
Policy Press
€104.17
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
John Hudson is Professor of Social Policy at the University of York, where Stuart Lowe is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and Dan Horsfall is Lecturer in Comparative Social Policy. Together the authors have extensive experience of teaching and researching across a wide range of social policy fields.
Content
Introduction: what is policy analysis? Part One: Macro-level Analysis: Globalisation; Political economy; The post-industrial economy; Technological change; Structures of power; Part Two: Meso-level Analysis: The changing nature of governance; Policy networks; Institutions; Policy transfer; Part Three: Micro-level Analysis: Decision making and personality; Implementation and delivery; Evaluation and evidence; Conclusions: policy analysis and welfare states.