Chapter 1. Public policy as a concept and field (or fields) of study Chapter 2. Does politics cause policy? Does policy cause politics? Chapter 3. Who makes decisions? How do they make decisions? Actors and institutions Chapter 4. Whose values? Policy design Chapter 5. Where does policy come from? The policy process Chapter 6. What should we do? The field of policy analysis Chapter 7. What have we done? Impact analysis and program evaluation Chapter 8. How does it work? Policy implementation Chapter 9. New directions in policy research Chapter 10. Do the policy sciences exist?

Public policy has developed into a broad and interdisciplinary area of study. Research in the field tends to reflect this wide-ranging nature, with scholarly activity focusing on policy process, policy design, program evaluation, specific policy issues, and research classified simply as “policy studies.” Yet, for those teaching and studying in the field, this disjointedness can be confusing and cumbersome.



This text provides a reasoned and structured framework for the field of public policy. Authors Kevin B. Smith and Christopher W. Larimer not only discuss several major theories but also offer a consistent and coherent framework for uniting the field. This organized and comprehensive approach addresses core questions and concepts, major theoretical frameworks, primary methodological approaches, and key controversies and debates. The Public Policy Theory Primer is an indispensable text for the systematic study of public policy.

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