American Public Policy: Promise and Performance

by B. Guy Peters, John A. Hoornbeek

Overview

"This book is an excellent choice for anyone looking to bring the complicated world of public policy to their classroom." – Ben Galloway, University of Arkansas

Now in its Thirteenth Edition, American Public Policy provides a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the policymaking process, from procedural approaches and policy instruments to in-depth analysis of specific policy issues. Not shying away from the complexity of governmental procedure, B. Guy Peters and new coauthor John Hoornbeek ensure that the mechanisms of the policy process are understandable through discussion of topical policy areas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071947586
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	07/30/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	624
File size:	9 MB

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.

John A. Hoornbeek serves as a Professor at Kent State University, where he is affiliated with the College of Public Health and its Center for Public Policy and Health. He teaches and conducts research on public policy, public health and the environment, and inter-governmental administration. Over the past decade, Dr. Hoornbeek’s research has focused largely on collaborative approaches for improving public health and the environment, and it has resulted in publications in multiple peer-reviewed outlets, including Health Services Research, Policy and Society, the Journal of Urban Affairs, and the American Journal of Public Health.

Table of Contents

Preface
About the Authors
Part I: The Nature of Public Policy
Chapter 1: What Is Public Policy
Defining Public Policy
The Instruments of Public Policy
The Environment of Public Policy
Summary
Notes
Chapter 2: The Structure of Policymaking in American Government
Federalism
Separation of Powers
Subgovernments
Public and Private
The Size and Shape of the Public Sector
Summary
Notes
Chapter 3: 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
Notes
Part II: The Making of Public Policy
Chapter 4: 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
Notes
Chapter 5: Legitimating Policy Choices
Legislative Legitimation
Regulations and the Administrative Process
The Courts
Popular Legitimation
Summary
Notes
Chapter 6: Organizations and Implementation
Dramatis Personae
Implementation
The Organizational Setting
Summary
Notes
Chapter 7: Budgeting
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 Onward
Summary
Notes
Chapter 8: Evaluation and Policy Change
Problems in Evaluating Public Programs
Policy Change
Summary
Notes
Part III: Substantive Policy Issues
Chapter 9: Part III: Substantive Policy Issues
Background
The Goals of Economic Policy
The Instruments of Economic Policy
Summary
Notes
Chapter 10: Tax Policy
Background
Public Opinion and Taxation
Choices in Tax Policy
The Politics of Tax Reform
Summary
Notes
Chapter 11: Health Policies
Background
Problems in Health Care
The Affordable Care Act of 2010
Public Programs in Health Care
Health Care Regulation
Options for National Health Insurance
Summary
Notes
Chapter 12: Social Security and Welfare
Social Insurance
Means-Tested Programs
The Persistence of Poverty in the United States
Summary
Notes
Chapter 13: Education Policy
The Federal Government’s Role in Education
Issues of Education Policy
Summary
Notes
Chapter 14: Energy and the Environment
Energy Policy
Background
Energy Sources
The Formation of Energy Policy
Environmental Policies
Implementation of Environmental Controls
Summary
Notes
Chapter 15: Defense and Law Enforcement
Defense Policy
Problems of Defense Policy
Law Enforcement
Issues in Law Enforcement Policy
Summary
Notes
Chapter 16: Social Issues and Public Policy
Background
Abortion and Reproductive Rights
LGBTQ Rights: Politics Comes Out of the Closet
The Separation of Church and State: School Prayer and Other Issues
Legalization of Marijuana
Summary
Notes
Part IV: Analyzing Public Policy
Chapter 17: Policy Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Ethical Analysis of Public Policy
Summary
Notes

Editorial Reviews

I have personally seen the book inspire students to answer the calling to public service, and they've used it as their guiding light to successful theory and practice.

Review - Leo Moscatelli

This book is very accessible and gives a common-sense approach to the public policy process. Peters is a giant in the field, and this is some of his best work.

Review - Mark Schwerdt

This book is an excellent choice for anyone looking to bring the complicated world of public policy to their classroom.

Review - Ben Galloway

This book is well-organized and detailed, and I recommend it for undergraduate policy, pre-law, or public management students.

Review - Chinyere Ogbanna-Mc Gruder

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

American public policy is one of the most detailed and compelling text on domestic public policy on the market.

Linda M. Trautman

This text is accessibly written without being overly-simplistic, thorough without being too weighty, and it discusses issues relevant to modern students of American public policy.

Zach Wilhide

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

Peters’ text is a comprehensive approach to the process, substance, and context of policymaking. In an era where politics seemingly trumps the study of policy as an academic field, Peters shows his reader the technical aspects of policymaking and the theories underlying policy decisions. At the same time, Peters makes the topics approachable to students from many personal and academic backgrounds.

Andrea M. Jacks

American Public Policy delivers its readers a well-organized and highly accessible overview of the field of public policy. By striking an effective balance of public policy theory, real-world data, and historical examples, Peters’ text has become an essential component of my introductory public policy courses.

Thomas W. Haase

A high-level introduction to American politics and political science (as it relates to policymaking), public and political institutions, the construction, implementation and evaluation of public policies, and the politics and mechanics of specific policy instruments and areas.

Michael Landon-Murry

This is an in-depth yet quite accessible overlook of public policy in the United States…With this updated version, Peters’ text keeps up with the ever-changing world of American public policy while still giving students the tools to better understand this process.

Michael E. Bednarczuk

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