Table of Contents

PART ONE: THE NATURE OF PUBLIC POLICY
Chapter One: What is Public Policy
Defining Public Policy
The Instruments of Public Policy
The Environment of Public Policy
Summary
Chapter Two: The Structure of Policymaking in American Government
Federalism
Separation of Powers
Subgovernments
Public and Private
The Size and Shape of the Public Sector
Summary
Chapter Three: Explaining Policy Choices
Power and Public Policy
The Policy Process—The Stages Model
Institutional Models of Policy
Advocacy-Coalition Framework
Policy Causes Politics
Bounded Rationality, Multiple Streams, and Incrementalism
The Private Sector, Iron Triangles, and Networks
Optimal Decision Making
Constructivist Models
Summary
PART TWO: THE MAKING OF PUBLIC POLICY
Chapter Four: Agenda Setting and Public Policy
Agenda Setting
Kinds of Agendas
Who Sets Agendas?
From Problem to Issue: How to Get Problems on the Agenda
Focusing Events
Policy Formulation
Policy Design
Summary
Chapter Five: Legitimating Policy Choices
Legislative Legitimation
Regulations and the Administrative Process
The Courts
Popular Legitimation
Summary
Chapter Six: Organizations and Implementation
Dramatis Personae
Implementation
The Organizational Setting
Summary
Chapter Seven: Budgeting: Allocation and Public Policy
Characteristics of the Federal Budget
The Budget Cycle
Problems in the Budget Process
The Overhang
Reforming Budgeting: Large-Scale Approaches in the 1960s and 1970s
From Scalpels to Axes: Budget Reform from the 1980s to the 2000s
Summary
Chapter Eight: Evaluation and Policy Change
Problems in Evaluating Public Programs
Policy Change
Summary
PART THREE: SUBSTANTIVE POLICY ISSUES
Chapter Nine: Economic Policy
Background
The Goals of Economic Policy
The Instruments of Economic Policy
Summary
Chapter Ten: Tax Policy
Background
Public Opinion and Taxation
Choices in Tax Policy
The Politics of Tax Reform
Summary
Chapter 11: Health Care Policies
Problems in Health Care
The Affordable Care Act of 2010
Public Programs in Health Care
Health Care Regulation
Options for National Health Insurance
Summary
Chapter Twelve: Social Security and Welfare
Social Insurance
Means-Tested Programs
The Persistence of Poverty in the United States
Summary
Chapter Thirteen: Education Policy
The Federal Government’s Role in Education
Issues of Education Policy
Summary
Chapter Fourteen: Energy and the Environment
Background
Energy Sources
The Formation of Energy Policy
Environmental Policies
Implementation of Environmental Controls
Summary
Chapter Fifteen: Defense and Law Enforcement
Background
Defense Policy
Problems of Defense Policy
Law Enforcement
Issues in Law Enforcement Policy
Summary
Chapter Sixteen: Social Values and Public Policy
Background
Abortion and Reproductive Rights
Gay Rights: Politics Comes Out of the Closet
The Separation of Church and State: School Prayer and Other Issues
Summary
PART FOUR: ANALYZING PUBLIC POLICY
Chapter Seventeen: Policy Analysis: Cost-Benefit Analysis and Ethical Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Ethical Analysis of Public Policy
Summary

About the Author

B. Guy Peters is Maurice Falk Professor of American Government at the University of Pittsburgh. He has written extensively in the areas of public administration and public policy, both for the United States and comparatively. Among his recent publications are the Handbook of Public Administration and The Quest for Control: Politicization of the Public Service.

Reviews

"American Public Policy has become an important foundation for my course in public policy.  It combines comprehensive and in-depth coverage of key substantive policy areas with an excellent survey of the core theories that inform the field of policy studies. It provides students with the knowledge they need to draw the most important lessons from the case studies, government reports, and journal articles I routinely assign."
*Marc Allen Eisner*

"The skillful way in which Peters blends the practical and theoretical makes difficult concepts easier to understand.  Using this insightful and comprehensive text leads to meaningful class discussions.  It is the best of its kind for my introduction to public policy class."
*John C. Mero*

"Policy matters, and this text shows why, how, and where that happens.  Peters is a policy scholar of long standing.  Thus does he know quite well which levers do what from a systemic perspective.  This text is a worthy overview suitable to the introductory course in public policy."
*Pat Piskulich*