This title is the first in the Critical Perspectives on the World Economy series. With a new introduction by the editors it brings together the most significant contributions on privatization including material on the philosophical and historical context.
Specific subjects covered include:
* regulation and competition policy
* different forms and techniques of privatization
* the impact of privatization.
Drawing on an enormous range of sources, the collection includes material by Hayek, Harold Demsetz, Douglass North, Janos Kornai, Jean Tirole and Jeffrey Sachs. It is an indispensible reference for policy makers, as well as academics concerned with economic policy and public economics.

In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Federal Reserve and central banks worldwide have deployed tools that past policymakers and economists might have considered radical. Programmes like large-scale securities purchases and a new policy framework remain a source of confusion for investors, journalists and ordinary citizens alike. Twenty-First Century Monetary Policy demystifies these opaque techniques to reveal how economic ideas, historical events and political forces have transformed the Fed’s policies over several decades. From the stagflation of the 1970s to the Great Recession and the recent pandemic, Ben S. Bernanke masterfully examines how the Fed’s policies—and the institution itself—may change as it grapples with persistently low interest rates, systemic financial risk, rapid technological change and polarised politics. With unparalleled depth of expertise and robust historical sweep, Twenty-First Century Monetary Policy is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding modern finance, investments or US economic policy.

From soil degradation and biodiversity loss to the coexistence of malnutrition and obesity, many of the largest challenges facing humanity today are underpinned by food and agriculture systems. In order to alleviate and resolve them, global governance of food and agriculture needs to be reformed. Unravelling the array of international regulatory instruments, this timely book provides the first systematic analysis of the international law surrounding food systems. International Agricultural Law and Policy provides a systems-based analysis of the rules that intersect with the physical elements of agriculture against a framework of commonly held norms. The author conducts a comprehensive examination not only of the rules, but also the implementation and broader socioeconomic, scientific and political context. By, exploring and clarifying the relationship between food security and the right to food and sustainability, Johnson closes the gap between the disparate international rules that govern food and agriculture, while exploring the practical implications of these overlapping regimes. This unique book is an invaluable resource for lawyers and social scientists working within food and agriculture systems and their governance and lays the much-needed groundwork for future research. For policy makers in the food and agricultural space, this book provides a wide-ranging and innovative analysis of the global regulatory landscape that influences law and policy processes.

The maintenance of health and the provision of services for the sick are probably some of the most challenging tasks facing modern government. "Health Care Systems in Seven Countries" looks at the way in which health care is organized and delivered in Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the USA. It also examines the continuing quest for solutions to some of the seemingly intractible problems on the health care agenda. The organization of health care in each country is analyzed within a common framework.
It is increasingly important that students and practitioners have a wider perspective and are able to draw upon knowledge of other health care systems in order to inform their own analysis. This book will make a substantial contribution towards that end.

The inspiring people and grassroots organizations that are on the front lines of the battle to save the planet As the world's scientists have come together and declared a "climate emergency," the fight to protect our planet's ecological resources and the people that depend on them is more urgent than ever. But the real battles for our future are taking place far from the headlines and international conferences, in mostly forgotten American communities where the brutal realities of industrial pollution and environmental degradation have long been playing out. The World We Need provides a vivid introduction to America's largely unsung grassroots environmental groups-often led by activists of color and the poor-valiantly fighting back in America's so-called sacrifice zones against industries poisoning our skies and waterways and heating our planet. Through original reporting, profiles, artwork, and interviews, we learn how these activist groups, almost always working on shoestring budgets, are devising creative new tactics; building sustainable projects to transform local economies; and organizing people long overlooked by the environmental movement-changing its face along the way. Capturing the riveting stories and hard-won strategies from a broad cross section of pivotal environmental actions-from Standing Rock to Puerto Rico-The World We Need offers a powerful new model for the larger environmental movement, and inspiration for concerned citizens everywhere.

In 1984 Congress revamped Medicare to save a financially distraught health care system, thus transforming the hospital as an organization. Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) -- the cornerstone of this extensive reorganization -- have triggered repercussions that are still adversely affecting health care professionals. This volume cuts to the heart of this crisis, examining the difficulties and foibles of going from DRG Legislation to DRG practices and giving voice to the professionals who must carve out a new reality under DRGs. It exposes the disputes between the various professional groups -- administrators, physicians, and nurses --over the implementation of DRGS, and how these professionals maneuver to manage the health service problems created by the policy. The book's authors provide an insightful analysis of the way policy innovations can wreak havoc on an organization and how professionals working together eventually negotiate order out of the chaos of change. The volume's narrative style of research is one feature that makes the presentation of the authors' findings unique from other works on Medicare legislation. Additionally, the book offers a case study approach to communication and sociological matters of a significant health care issue.

This book is based on the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference which reports on research into telecommunications policy issues. While the conference is now a respectable 23 years old, this is only the second printed edition of selected papers. A new law, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, accelerated the process of integration in the communication industry and made major revisions to the Communications Act of 1934 that increase the incentive for integration within the industry. Although the papers in this volume were written prior to the passage of the new law, their importance is merely enhanced by it. They deal with fundamental, complex policy problems that arise when previously separate segments of the telecommunications industry are integrated, rather than specific regulatory rules that are likely to be changed under the new law. With the passage of this law, the timeframe for developing appropriate policies for an integrated industry has been shortened. Changes expected to occur over a period of several years will now likely occur much more rapidly. These papers provide insights to help guide the transition in the industry.
Divided into five parts, this volume:
* deals with problems of transforming local exchange telephone service from a monopoly in each geographical area to an interconnected competitive network of networks,
* considers the pricing problems that arise in an integrated network carrying traffic of different types across multiple service providers,
* examines the problem of achieving interoperability in complex networks,
* considers issues of intellectual property that arise in expected integrated networks of the future, and
* discusses electronic publication of scholarly journals, copyright protection, and the applicability of copyright law in the digital age.

Thirty years ago, when compared to the U.S., England, France, and Sweden, Japan had the lowest life expectancy for males and females. Today, Japan has the highest life expectancy and is the world's most rapidly aging society. Public Policy and the Old Age Revolution in Japan captures the vitality of Japanese policymakers and the challenges they face in shaping a modern society responding to its changing needs. The rapid transition to an aging society poses a set of complex policy and resource dilemmas; the responses taken in Japan are of great value to policymakers, professionals, and students in the fields of gerontology, Asian and Japanese studies, sociology, public policy, administration and management, and anthropology in other industrial aging societies. Readers of Public Policy and the Old Age Revolution in Japan will discover the array of social and economic implications that comes with an increasingly aged society. Such a change in demographics affects pension expenditures and pension contributions, capital formation and savings rates, health costs, service systems, tax bases, labor pools, career counseling, training, advertising, and marketing. This book does not stop with these topics, however. Readers also learn about: how older Japanese workers are staying employed and employable policies in Japan for a smooth transition from work to retirement Japan's Silver Human Resource Centers the new direction of health services in Japan the Japanese financing system for elderly health care the expansion of formalized in-home services for Japan's aged Japanese housing policy and the concept of universal design the Gold Plan, a comprehensive ten-year plan to promote health care and welfare for the aged the concept of ikigai--promoting feelings of purpose and self-worth in the agedPublic Policy and the Old Age Revolution in Japan is one of only a handful of books prepared in English by American and Japanese authors for an international audience about aging and social policy in Japan. The book's recent collection of articles by leading scholars on the subject makes it a unique and timely source of information. Above all, Public Policy and the Old Age Revolution in Japan makes it clear that the rest of the world has many valuable lessons to learn by studying Japan's approach to its rapidly aging society.

This volume examines one health issue -- breast implants -- across a series of contexts often thought to be separate -- media coverage, doctor-patient interaction, doctor-doctor professional communication, support group dialogues, public relations campaigns, and more. In so doing, it provides a narrative of how communication shapes the individual perceptions of health, government, and social policy concerning health care.
At the core of the silicone breast implant controversy is the need for people to act amid uncertainty about the health risks involved. This need to weigh action in the midst of uncertain risk characterizes a large number of health issues. The attempts of patients, physicians, drug manufacturers, and others to seek and provide both information and influence makes communication central to these issues. Consequently, the questions explored in this volume will interest a diverse group of readers. This audience includes plastic surgeons in particular, physicians in general, and anyone involved with women's health issues. As the medical profession struggles with its identity amid changes in public attitudes, government regulations, and medical practices, this volume's findings concerning media portrayals of doctors and medical devices become even more important.
Finally, this study reveals how interrelated public information and private decisions are, and how closely media and interpersonal relationships fit. Tracing one medical issue across interpersonal, organizational, public relations, and mediated forums has clearly demonstrated the multiple ways those communication channels overlap and inform one another.

This collection, by an economist who participated in many of the events described, sketches the more important economic developments from the end of the Second World War to the early 1980s. In so doing, it brings together a series of papers which were produced by Sir Alec Cairncross during this period. The topics covered include: economic development in the immediate post-war period, including some long neglected issues, such as the role of economists in the wartime government of Britain; sterling crises and devaluation during the 1960s and 1970s; the wider view and long-term issues involved, including a review of some of the economic ideas that have influenced the British government since the war. The importance of ecomomic history as an intellectual discipline is central and sets the context for the entire work. This study is intended to be of use for all those seeking to understand the course of post-1945 economics.

The last decade has witnessed important developments in international trade policy, both at the multilateral and regional levels. "International Trade Policy" provides an extensive, in-depth analysis of the theoretical and policy considerations which underlie these developments.
Topics covered include key theoretical and policy issues such as voluntary export restraints, anti-dumping and unfair trading practices, agricultural protectionism, and regionalism; the results of the Uruguay round of negotiations and their effect on policy; the issues which govern many current trade disputes, including trade-related intellectual property rights; the major issues involved in setting up regional trading areas; the likely future agenda for the newly created World Trading Organization. As trade negotiations become increasingly complex, this volume will be essential for all those who want to understand what governments do, in terms of trade policy, and how they do it.

Energy Policy is a key area in each of the world's economies and the oil shocks of the 1970's empasized how important energy had become. "Models for Energy Policy" analyzes a range of models of energy use. In recent recent years a growing awareness of environomental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship betweem energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer.This has created a demand for more and better models of energy.
"Models for Energy Policy" covers short, medium and long term forecasting, regional, national and international impacts and environmental issues. It also covers models of individual sources of energy and the energy sector as a whole as well as formal models and non-formal approaches.
The interaction between energy and the environment is singularly complex, and "Models for Energy Policy" integrates physical, technical, economic and social concerns.

How the optimism gap between rich and poor is creating an increasingly divided society The Declaration of Independence states that all people are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that among these is the pursuit of happiness. But is happiness available equally to everyone in America today? How about elsewhere in the world? Carol Graham draws on cutting-edge research linking income inequality with well-being to show how the widening prosperity gap has led to rising inequality in people's beliefs, hopes, and aspirations. For the United States and other developed countries, the high costs of being poor are most evident not in material deprivation but rather in stress, insecurity, and lack of hope. The result is an optimism gap between rich and poor that, if left unchecked, could lead to an increasingly divided society. Graham reveals how people who do not believe in their own futures are unlikely to invest in them, and how the consequences can range from job instability and poor education to greater mortality rates, failed marriages, and higher rates of incarceration. She describes how the optimism gap is reflected in the very words people use--the wealthy use words that reflect knowledge acquisition and healthy behaviors, while the words of the poor reflect desperation, short-term outlooks, and patchwork solutions. She also explains why the least optimistic people in America are poor whites, not poor blacks or Hispanics. Happiness for All? highlights the importance of well-being measures in identifying and monitoring trends in life satisfaction and optimism--and misery and despair--and demonstrates how hope and happiness can lead to improved economic outcomes.

The bestselling author of Simpler offers a powerful, provocative, and convincing argument for protecting people from their own mistakes Based on a series of pathbreaking lectures given at Yale University in 2012, this powerful, thought-provoking work by national best-selling author Cass R. Sunstein combines legal theory with behavioral economics to make a fresh argument about the legitimate scope of government, bearing on obesity, smoking, distracted driving, health care, food safety, and other highly volatile, high-profile public issues. Behavioral economists have established that people often make decisions that run counter to their best interests-producing what Sunstein describes as "behavioral market failures." Sometimes we disregard the long term; sometimes we are unrealistically optimistic; sometimes we do not see what is in front of us. With this evidence in mind, Sunstein argues for a new form of paternalism, one that protects people against serious errors but also recognizes the risk of government overreaching and usually preserves freedom of choice. Against those who reject paternalism of any kind, Sunstein shows that "choice architecture"-government-imposed structures that affect our choices-is inevitable, and hence that a form of paternalism cannot be avoided. He urges that there are profoundly moral reasons to ensure that choice architecture is helpful rather than harmful-and that it makes people's lives better and longer.

Migration in Europe is a pressing social and political issue for the policy makers of the 1990s. Drawing upon a wide body of knowledge, expertise and analysis, European Migration in the Late Twentieth Century combines an important survey with a series of detailed country studies on migration in Europe.The authoritative overview essay by the editors examines migration to and within Europe. They compare the flows during the last forty years with the present situation, detailing both the magnitude and geography of migration over this period. This is followed by thirteen individual country studies each of which features an historical introduction to emigration and immigration in the featured country, quantitative data sets and a detailed assessment of the social and political implications. These studies - specially prepared by leading scholars - cover the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia and the former USSR. This comprehensive and scholarly book will be welcomed by teachers and researchers of social sciences and history for presenting new insights on one of the key political, social and economic issues facing modern Europe.

During its comparatively short life as a set of institutions, the European Union (EU) has experienced rapid growth in size, remit and policy competence. In addition, the resulting analytical and factual literature has more than matched this growth. As Roger Levy notes, '[a] visit to the institutions of the EU now requires a travel itinerary on the scale of the cultural tour once favoured by the aristocracy.' This valuable and detailed study provides, for the first time, a systematic empirical analysis of EU programme management in all of the main spending areas over a 20 year period. After setting out the management framework in each area, Roger Levy looks methodically at audit evidence to build up a comprehensive performance profile. The management of EU spending programmes is subject to almost continual media speculation about its propriety and efficiency. The unprecedented resignation of the Santer Commission en masse in March 1999 was a direct result of its management failures. Using up-to-date, original data, this valuable book provides an empirical antidote to much of the speculation which dominates this issue. This accessible analysis of the vast data available on this contentious area will prove invaluable reference to anyone studying the European Union, as well as European and national government officials, research organisations and pressure groups.

There is no better guide than Paul Krugman to basic economics, the ideas that animate much of our public policy. Likewise, there is no better foe of zombie economics, the misunderstandings that just won't die. Arguing with Zombies is Krugman "the most hated and most admired columnist in the US" (Martin Wolf, Financial Times) at his best, turning readers into intelligent consumers of the daily news with quick, vivid sketches of the key concepts behind taxes, health care, international trade and more. In this new book, in which he builds on and expands his The New York Times columns and other writings, "the most celebrated economist of his generation" (The Economist), offers short, accessible chapters on topics including the European Union and Brexit, the fight for national health care in the United States, the financial meltdown of 2007-2008, the attack on Social Security and the fraudulent argument-the ultimate zombie-that tax cuts for the rich will benefit all.

'An instant classic. Sabir is an inspiration' Arun Kundnani, author of The Muslims are Coming! What impact has two decades' worth of policing and counterterrorism had on the state of mind of Muslims in Britain? The Suspect draws on the author's experiences to take the reader on a journey through British counterterrorism practices and the policing of Muslims. Rizwaan Sabir describes what led to his arrest for suspected terrorism, his time in detention, and the surveillance he was subjected to on release from custody, including stop and search at the roadside, detentions at the border, monitoring by police and government departments, and an attempt by the UK military to recruit him into their psychological warfare unit. Writing publicly for the first time about the traumatising mental health effects of these experiences, Sabir argues that these harmful outcomes are not the result of errors in government planning, but the consequences of using a counterinsurgency warfare approach to fight terrorism and police Muslims. To resist the injustice of these policies and practices, we need to centre our lived experiences and build networks of solidarity and support.

Introduction of a common European currency has been, and is, a process bristling with difficulties. Will establishing European science be any easier? The contributors to the volume have treated this question with the seriousness it deserves. The results steer away from an easy optimism, but emphasize the importance of such enterprise. This insightful text should be of interest to policy makers and scientists alike, not the least because it shows how the two groups influence each other.' - Barbara Czarniawska, University of Gothenburg, SwedenSince the European Research Area was launched at the beginning of the century, significant efforts have been made to realise the vision of a coherent space for science and research in Europe. But how does one define such a space and measure its development? This timely book analyses the dynamics of change in the policy and governance of science and research within Europe over the past decade. It widens the scope of traditional policy analysis by focusing attention on the interaction between policy rationales, new governance mechanisms, and the organisational dynamics of the scientific field. The contributors build a novel analytical framework to understand the European research space as one shifting from a fragmented space of 'Science in Europe' to one that is labeled 'European Science'. The chapters explore the dynamics of this shift through the lenses of political science, organisation theory, science policy and related analytical traditions. Towards European Science is an interdisciplinary book which will attract a wide set of scholars and professionals interested in science policy, governance and scientific practice. It will also be of use to university leaders and managers, as well as policy-makers and practitioners working on issues of internationalisation and the Europeanisation of science. Contributors: I. Bleiklie, D. Braun, L. Cruz-Castro, J. Enders, L. Engwall, A. Gornitzka, T. Hedmo, K. Jonkers, B. Lepori, T. Luukkonen, G. Mathisen Nyhagen, M. Nedeva, L. Sanz-Menendez, L. Wedlin

"This entirely updated and enlarged Second Edition of a landmark reference/text continues to provide comprehensive coverage of every important aspect of policy studies--discussing concepts, methods, utilization, formation, and implementation both internationally and across each level of government."

For centuries, denuded landscapes, fouled streams, and dirty air were accepted by society as part of the price that had to be paid for mineral production. Even initial environmental legislation devised by industrialized countries in the 1960s and 1970s was largely designed without mining in mind. And developing countries had little in the way of environmental policy. With the advent of sustainability in the 1990s, times have changed. Today's economic development, many now feel, must not come at the expense of an environmentally degraded future. Current policies toward mining are under rigorous review, and mineral-rich developing countries are designing environmental policies where none existed before. In Mining and the Environment, noted analysts offer viewpoints from Australia, Chile, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European community on issues and challenges of metal mining.

The 27 articles reprinted in this volume are among Peter Mieszkowski's most important contributions to public, urban and regional economics. Several of these pieces concern income distribution theory and policies for promoting equality in wages, housing and education.The first part of this book includes studies of labour markets, tax incidence and the distributive effects of trade unions and wage subsidies. Two important conclusions presented in these papers concern the local property tax: it is a tax on capital and it results in under-provision of local public goods. The second and third parts of the book address, respectively, the decentralization of cities and and tax reform. Issues discussed include: racial discrimination in housing markets, the design of land use regulation, the negative income tax, consumption taxes, and tax reform in transition countries, particularly Eastern European countries. These outstanding essays bring together, in an accessible form, the work of one of the most important scholars in the field of public finance and urban economics.

In the late 1980s a consensus appeared to have emerged that a level of unemployment around 1.6 million was satisfactory. The subsequent rise in unemployment showed that this satisfaction was misplaced. The British economy remains an "economy of unemployment", vulnerable to cyclical recession and large-scale job loss. Why this should be so, and what was wrong with policy towards unemployment and the labour market are the twin focuses of this book. Its emphasisis on the analysis of the structure of unemployment and through this the identification of responsible policies which could address unemployment. "Understanding Unemployment" includes contributions from economics, sociology, social policy, law, psychology and geography. It addresses such issues as the nature of labour supply and demand, employer recruitment practices, the effect of unemployment on individuals and families and the potential impact of European integration. Taken together, they offer new and positive perspectives on unemployment and on the nature of effective, active labour market policies.

People magazine's top reason for Hope in America. Curated from a grassroots social movement, The Front Steps Project is an inspiring, uplifting portrait series capturing how people coped with living in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Front Steps Project™ demonstrates that even in the most challenging of circumstances, kindness, love, courage, and hope exist to build, bind, and connect communities around the globe. Created on March 18, 2020, The Front Steps Project™ began when friends Kristen Collins and Cara Soulia sought out to unite their neighbors through photographs of life in quarantine. In addition to incorporating work from other local photographers, the women traveled to neighborhoods around Needham, Massachusetts to photograph residents in front of their homes in exchange for donations to their local food pantry. Within days, #TheFrontStepsProject became a grassroots social mission, connecting thousands of people across the globe and raising over $3,250,000 for vital non-profit organizations and local businesses including food pantries, frontline workers, homeless and animal shelters, hospitals and so much more. Through their noble efforts, hundreds of thousands of images and stories of love, sacrifice, compassion, kindness, perseverance, and – ultimately hope – flooded social media. Featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe and more, The Front Steps Project brings communities together virtually, despite being – and maybe feeling – isolated. The Front Steps Project contains over 400 photographs and dozens of stories of families during the COVID-19 pandemic. This heartwarming keepsake commemorates a massive effort of courage, unity, and goodwill. As a tribute to the good work of The Front Steps Project, a portion of book sales will be donated to The United Way to help people impacted by the pandemic.