American Public Policy

Promise and Performance
Thirteenth Edition
B. Guy Peters - University of Pittsburgh, USA
John A. Hoornbeek - Kent State University
American Public Policy
July 2025 | 624 pages | CQ Press
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Description

"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.

Contents

Preface

Preface

About the Authors

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

Additional materials

Description

"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.

Contents

Preface

Preface

About the Authors

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

Additional materials

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American Public Policy

Promise and Performance

B. Guy Peters , John A. Hoornbeek
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July 2025 | 624 pages | CQ Press

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"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.

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

Recent Product Reviews:

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.
Mark Schwerdt, Lipscomb University
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.
Leo Moscatelli, Seton Hall University
This book is well-organized and detailed, and I recommend it for undergraduate policy, pre-law, or public management students.
Chinyere Ogbanna-McGruder, Austin Peay State University
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

Recommendations