Chapter 1: Introducing the Policy Process Flashcards
-Politics and the Policy Process -What is Public Policy? -Ideas and Problems in the Policy Process. -What Makes Public Policy Public? -Why do we Study Public Policy? -The Place of Public Policy Studies in the Social Sciences -Evidence and Argument in the Policy Process
What are politics?
the process by which society determines who gets what, when they get it, and how they get it.
What is “Enlightenment?”
Term used to describe a philosophic movement in the early eighteenth century, in which numerous theorists and philosophers developed new political and social philosophies based on reason and insights from the natural sciences. It spurred the American and French Revolutions along with other changes.
What are the key attributes of public policy? (6)
- ) it is made in response to a problem that needs attention.
- ) it is made on the public’s behalf.
- ) it is oriented to a goal/ solution of a problem.
- ) it us ultimately made by government, no matter where the ideas came from.
- ) it is interpreted and implemented by public and private actors who have their own interpretations and motivations.
- ) It was what a government chooses to do or not to do.
What is a policy?
a statement by government of what it intends to do, such as a law, regulation, ruling, decision, order, or a combination of these. The lack of such statements may also be an implicit statement of policy.
What is an implicit policy?
Things that the government does not mention in policy/ decides not to do. For example, the constitution does not mention a right to education or health care explicitly, so it is assumed that these are not rights.
What is a problem?
a usually undesirable situation that, according to people or interest groups, can be alleviated by government action.
What is classical liberalism?
The dominant ideological foundation of the constitution. It emphasizes individual liberty and the ownership and acquisition of private property as a means to improve overall wealth and happiness and discourage social strife.
What is a discipline?
a field of academic research or study. Sociology, political science, and economics are social science disciplines; electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering are engineering disciplines. Disciplines approach problems in similar ways.
What is social science?
The branch of the sciences that deals with the actions and behaviors of people, groups, and institutions. Political science, sociology, anthropology, are social sciences. History is sometimes considered a social science.
What are public policy processes?
consists of research on the formulation and implementation of public policy usually limited to the American context emphasizing national, domestic policy. Using perspectives of American politics, individuals studying public policy processes such issues as topic emergence and policy agenda, the cultural definition of policy formation, etc.
What is the relationship between political science and public policy?
the political process is the process through which policies are made and enforced.
What is the relationship between sociology and public policy?
Community and group activities are an important part of policy making because groups of people often form to make demands.
What is the relationship between economics and public policy?
There are many economic factors that influence public policy such as economic growth, productivity, employment, and the like. The tools of economics are often used to promote policies or to explain why policies succeed or fail.
What is the relationship between public administration and public policy?
The management of public programs is an integral part of the policy process. PA scholars study the motivation of program implementers and targets, and help research innovations to improve service delivery.
What do policy scholars do?
develop theories about how the policy process works, and develop methods and tools to analyze how policy is made and implemented.
