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.

Table of Contents

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: Governance; Policy networks; Institutions; Policy transfer; Part three: Micro-Level Analysis: Decision making; Implementation and delivery; Evaluation and evidence; Conclusions.

About the Author

John Hudson and Stuart Lowe are both political scientists who teach and research in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of York, UK.

Reviews

"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 edition