Policy studies is a subdisicipline of political science that includes the analysis of the process of policymaking (the policy process) and the contents of policy ( policy analysis). Policy analysis includes substantive area research (such as health or education policy), program evaluation and impact studies, and policy design. It "involves systematically studying the nature, causes, and effects of alternative public policies, with particular emphasis on determining the

policies Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...

that will achieve given goals." It emerged in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Policy studies also examines the conflicts and conflict resolution that arise from the making of policies in civil society, the private sector, or more commonly, in the public sector (e.g. government). While policy studies frequently focus on the public sector it is applicable to other organizations (e.g., the not-for-profit sector). Some policy study experts graduate from public policy schools with public policy degrees. Alternatively, experts may have backgrounds in policy analysis, program evaluation, sociology, psychology,

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

, economics, anthropology, geography, law, political science,

social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

environmental planning Environmental planning is the process of facilitating decision making to carry out land development with the consideration given to the natural environment, social, political, economic and governance factors and provides a holistic framework to ...

and public administration. Traditionally, the field of policy studies focused on domestic policy, with the notable exceptions of foreign and defense policies. However, the wave of economic globalization, which ensued in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, created a need for a subset of policy studies that focuses on

global governance Global governance refers to institutions that coordinate the behavior of transnational actors, facilitate cooperation, resolve disputes, and alleviate collective action problems. Global governance broadly entails making, monitoring, and enfor ...

, especially as it relates to issues that transcend national borders such as climate change, terrorism,

nuclear proliferation Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations not recognized as " Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Wea ...

, and economic development. This subset of policy studies, which is often referred to as international policy studies, typically requires mastery of a second language and attention to cross-cultural issues in order to address national and

cultural bias Cultural bias is the phenomenon of interpreting and judging phenomena by standards inherent to one's own culture. The phenomenon is sometimes considered a problem central to social and human sciences, such as economics, psychology, anthropology, ...

es.

References

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;General *
Policy Studies Organization
;Journals of the ''Policy Studies Organization''
Asian Politics & Policy

Digest of Middle East Studies

Latin American PolicyPolicy Studies

Policy Studies Journal

Politics & Policy

Review of Policy Research

Policy & Internet

Poverty & Public Policy

Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy

World Medical & Health Policy
;Other
Visualization of the policy cycle

National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration

Decision Theater
- Helping policy makers in their decision making process through the use of visualization, simulation and collaboration tools.
AARP Public Policy Institute (United States)

Global Public Policy Institute
{{Authority control Policy Politics by issue Public policy research Political science Public administration

See also

References

External links