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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Central government
Policy Experiments, Failures and Innovations takes a policy studies
perspective in considering post-communist EU member states?
experiences since accession. The book analyses policy transfer
processes and expands the new and growing sub-field of policy
failure by interrogating the binary ideas of ?failure? and
?success? in the context of the Central Eastern European (CEE)
transition, democratic consolidation and European Union membership.
Contributions consider the extent to which external models have had
real traction in the political economies and societies of the CEE
countries. The book also considers the ways external models were
adapted, transformed or sometimes abandoned in response to
unexpected difficulties in implementation. It provides critical
analysis of the setbacks, real or perceived policy failures, as
well as innovations and unexpected outcomes in a number of
important policy areas in the ?new? member states of the EU. This
book will be of interest to policy studies scholars and European
Union/European studies scholars. It is also relevant for students
of European politics as well as general public policy degree
courses at undergraduate and graduate level. Contributors include:
D. Adascalitei, A. Batory, A. Cartwright, D. Craciun, S. Domonkos,
H. Grabbe, A. Kemmerling, A. Krizsan, K. Makszin, L. Matei, G.
Medve-Balint, B.G. Peters, D. Stone, S. Svensson, A. Tetenyi, S.
Torotcoi, V. Zentai
Mass shootings have become the "new normal" in American life. The
same can be said for the public debate that follows a shooting:
blame is cast, political postures are assumed, but no meaningful
policy changes are enacted. In After Gun Violence, Craig Rood
argues that this cycle is the result of a communication problem.
Without advocating for specific policies, Rood examines how
Americans talk about gun violence and suggests how we might discuss
the issues more productively and move beyond our current, tragic
impasse. Exploring the ways advocacy groups, community leaders,
politicians, and everyday citizens talk about gun violence, Rood
reveals how the gun debate is about far more than just guns. He
details the role of public memory in shaping the discourse, showing
how memories of the victims of gun violence, the Second Amendment,
and race relations influence how gun policy is discussed. In doing
so, Rood argues that forgetting and misremembering this history
leads interest groups and public officials to entrenched positions
and political failure and drives the public further apart. Timely
and innovative, After Gun Violence advances our understanding of
public discourse in an age of gridlock by illustrating how public
deliberation and public memory shape and misshape one another. It
is a search to understand why public discourse fails and how we can
do better.
The current context of social policy is one in which many of the
old certainties of the past have been eroded. The predominantly
inward-looking, domestic preoccupation of social policy has made
way for a more integrated, international and outward approach to
analysis which looks beyond the boundaries of the state. It is in
this context that this Handbook brings together the work of key
commentators in the field of comparative analysis in order to
provide comprehensive coverage of contemporary debates and issues
in cross-national social policy research. Organized around five
themes, this thoroughly revised and updated second edition explores
the contextual, conceptual, analytical and processual aspects of
undertaking comparative social research. The contributions
highlight specific areas of comparative social policy including
child poverty and well-being, patterns of housing provision and
housing inequalities, and social protection in East Asia as well as
crime and criminology in a global context. The authors of the
Handbook explore continuing and emerging themes as well as issues
which are of particular relevance to understanding the contemporary
social world. International in scope, this authoritative Handbook
presents original cutting-edge research from leading specialists
and will become an indispensable source of reference for anyone
interested in comparative and international social research. It
will also prove a valuable study aid for undergraduate and
postgraduate students from a range of disciplines including social
policy, sociology, politics, urban studies and public policy.
Contributors include: D. Bainton, J. Billiet, J. Bradshaw, J.
Clasen, G. Crow, R. Forrest, N. Ginsburg, I. Gough, L. Hantrais, B.
Jessop, P. Kennett, H.-j. Kwon, N. Lendvai, S. Mangen, J. Midgley,
R. Mishra, D. Nelken, J. O'Connor, A. Perez-Baltodano, A. Walker,
C.-k. Wong
In the run-up to the 2012 presidential election, Democrats and
Republicans were locked in a fierce battle for the female vote.
Democrats charged Republicans with waging a "war on women," while
Republicans countered that Democratic policies actually undermined
women's rights. The women of the Senate wielded particular power
throughout, planning press conferences, appearing on political
programs, and taking to the Senate floor over gender-related issues
such as workplace equality and reproductive rights. The first book
to examine the impact of gender differences in the Senate, "Women
in the Club" is an eye-opening exploration of how women are
influencing policy and politics in this erstwhile male bastion of
power. Gender, Michele L. Swers shows, is a fundamental factor for
women in the Senate, interacting with both party affiliation and
individual ideology to shape priorities on policy. Women, for
example, are more active proponents of social welfare and women's
rights. But the effects of gender extend beyond mere policy
preferences. Senators also develop their priorities with an eye to
managing voter expectations about their expertise and advancing
their party's position on a given issue. The election of women in
increasing numbers has also coincided with the evolution of the
Senate as a highly partisan institution. The stark differences
between the parties on issues pertaining to gender have meant that
Democratic and Republican senators often assume very different
roles as they reconcile their policy views on gender issues with
the desire to act as members of partisan teams.
This open access book offers the first in-depth study of the
history and current debates surrounding electronic cigarettes
comparing the UK, US and Australia. Since their introduction,
e-cigarettes have been the subject of much public, media and
regulatory attention, with discussion centring on whether these
devices encourage or discourage smoking. This study delves into the
history of policymaking and institutions in three countries which
have taken different approaches to the regulation of e-cigarettes.
In the UK, the tradition of harm reduction through nicotine has
helped form a response which has endorsed e-cigarettes, though not
without considerable controversy. In contrast, the US has a
cessation-only anti-tobacco agenda, and Australia has effectively
banned e-cigarettes. This book argues that each country frames the
long-term use of nicotine differently and prioritises the health of
different groups within the population of smokers or non-smokers,
set against a broad backdrop of national responses to addiction. By
taking this comparative approach, the authors explore the
relationship between history, evidence and policy in public health
more widely.
Jacob Rees-Mogg is one of the most prominent and controversial
figures in contemporary British politics. He is a man who divides
opinion in his own party, in Parliament and across the country. An
arch-Brexiteer with significant business interests and a large
personal fortune, he has long been a vocal critic of the European
Union and of Prime Minister Theresa May's attempts to negotiate a
Brexit deal. As chairman of the powerful anti-EU organisation the
European Research Group, he has also been a thorn in the side of
those seeking to dilute Brexit. While many people mock him for his
impeccable manners and traditional attitudes - he has been dubbed
`the Honourable Member for the eighteenth century' - an equally
great number applaud him for his apparent conviction politics.
Undoubtedly, Rees-Mogg stands out among the current crop of MPs and
his growing influence cannot be ignored. In this wide-ranging
unauthorised biography of the Conservative Member of Parliament for
North East Somerset, Michael Ashcroft, bestselling author of Call
Me Dave: The Unauthorised Biography of David Cameron, turns his
attention to one of the most intriguing politicians of our time.
Nutrition Economics: Principles and Policy Applications establishes
the core criteria for consideration as new policies and regulations
are developed, including application-based principles that ensure
practical, effective implementation of policy. From the economic
contribution of nutrition on quality of life, to the costs of
malnutrition on society from both an individual and governmental
level, this book guides the reader through the factors that can
determine the success or failure of a nutrition policy. Written by
an expert in policy development, and incorporating an encompassing
view of the factors that impact nutrition from an economic
standpoint (and their resulting effects), this book is unique in
its focus on guiding other professionals and those in advanced
stages of study to important considerations for correct policy
modeling and evaluation. As creating policy without a comprehensive
understanding of the relevant contributing factors that lead to
failure is not an option, this book provides a timely reference.
This book examines an interdependent approach to happiness and
well-being, one that contrasts starkly with dominant approaches
that have originated from Western culture(s). It highlights the
diversity of potential pathways towards happiness and well-being
globally, and answers calls - voiced in the UN’s Sustainable
Development Goals - for more socially and environmentally
sustainable models. Leading global organizations including the
OECD, UNICEF, and UNESCOÂ are now proposing human happiness
and well-being as a more sustainable alternative to a myopic focus
on GDP growth. Yet, the definition of well-being offered by these
organizations derives largely from the philosophies, social
sciences, and institutional patterns of Europe and the United
States. Across seven chapters this book carefully probes the
inadequacy of these approaches to well-being globally and reveals
the distorting effect this has on how we imagine our world,
organize institutions, and plan our collective future(s). It shares
a wealth of evidence and examples from across East Asia - a region
where interdependence remains foregrounded - and concludes by
provocatively arguing that interdependence may provide a more
sustainable approach to happiness and well-being in the 21st
century. A timely and accessible book, it offers fresh insights for
scholars and policymakers working in the areas of psychology,
health, sociology, education, international development, public
policy, and philosophy. This is an open access book.
In Well-Being and Fair Distribution: Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis,
author Matthew D. Adler provides readers with a comprehensive
philosophically grounded argument for the use of social welfare
functions as a framework for governmental policy analysis.
Well-Being and Fair Distribution addresses a range of relevant
theoretical issues, including the possibility of an interpersonally
comparable measure of well-being, or "utility" metric; the moral
value of equality, and how that bears on the form of the social
welfare function; social choice under uncertainty; and the
possibility of integrating considerations of individual choice and
responsibility into the social-welfare-function framework. Adler's
book also deals with issues of implementation, and explores how
survey data and other sources of evidence might be used to
calibrate both a utility metric and a social welfare function, and
whether distributive goals are ever best pursued through regulation
rather than the tax system. In working through this range of
theoretical and practical issues, Well-Being and Fair Distribution
draws from a wide variety of literatures, including philosophical
scholarship on equality, responsibility, the nature of well-being,
and personal identity over time; the social choice literature
within economics; applied economic literatures concerning the
measurement of inequality and poverty; legal and policy-analysis
scholarship on cost-benefit analysis, environmental justice, and
the choice between regulation and taxation; and the burgeoning
field of "happiness studies."
A common refrain when policy diverges from 'ideal' is 'if only we
could take the politics out of the policy process'. The authors of
this book argue that rationalist dreams of this nature fail to
recognize that policy making is inherently part of politics; policy
is the mechanism for giving citizens in a democracy the societal
outcomes they seek. In a new and innovative way of thinking about
public policy, the book places values at the centre of the
analysis. It argues that citizens have differing visions of the
good society and different values priorities. In making decisions
on behalf of the whole community, policy makers need to recognize
and manage these values differences. And in the same way, students
of the policy process need to connect what government does with the
wider political processes typical of a democratic society. The book
casts a critical eye over public policy theory, introduces the
reader to research on human values, explores the importance of
language, rhetoric and persuasion, and draws on the insights from
various strands of psychology in order to understand the realities
of policy making in liberal democracies. In so doing, Interrogating
Public Policy Theory offers a refreshing alternative to existing
analyses of the policy process. This book will be a vital tool for
public policy scholars, as well as those upper-level students
searching for a map of the policy studies field and a critical
examination of the dominant theoretical perspectives. It will also
be a unique, and innovative, reference for public policy
practitioners seeking more realistic accounts of the policy process
that help conceptualize the nature of policy conflict.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and knowledge management can create
innovative digital solutions and business opportunities in Asia
from circular and green economies to technological disruption,
innovation, and smart cities. It is essential to understand the
impact and importance of AI and knowledge management within the
digital economy for future development and for fostering the best
practices within 21st century businesses. The Handbook of Research
on Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Management in Asia's
Digital Economy offers conceptual frameworks, empirical studies,
and case studies that help to understand the latest developments in
artificial intelligence and knowledge management, as well as its
potential for digital transformation and business opportunities in
Asia. Covering topics such as augmented reality. Convolutional
neural networks, and digital transformation, this major reference
work generates enriching debate on the challenges and opportunities
for economic growth and inclusion in the region among business
executives and leaders, IT managers, policymakers, government
officials, students and educators of higher education, researchers,
and academicians.
After two decades of feminist challenges to mainstream theorising,
gender has become a central element of social policy and the
welfare state. A new literature has widened the focus of social
policy from state and economy to a three-sided discourse
encompassing the state, the market and the family. The Handbook on
Gender and Social Policy provides a comprehensive introduction to
this field with up-to-date accounts of debates and innovative
original research by leading international authors. The Handbook
covers the key areas of social policy that relate to the
inequalities between men and women in the developed and developing
world. It presents original research on contemporary issues at
national and transnational levels across the central policy terrain
of income, employment, care and family policy, including family
policy models, same-sex marriage and child protection. It features
chapters on key perspectives on gender and policy and six original
studies of the state of play in different regions of the world. The
Handbook on Gender and Social Policy is an excellent resource for
advanced students and postgraduate students of sociology, political
science, women?s studies, policy studies and related areas. It will
also be of interest for practitioners and scholars of social policy
seeking up-to-date coverage of how gender affects the contours of
social policy and politics. Contributors include: E. Adamson, C.
Arza, D. Balkmar, M. Bernstein, M. Blaxland, M. Brady, D. Brennan,
R. Daiger von Gleichen, M. Daly, A.L. Ellingsaeter, V. Esquivel, H.
Figueiredo, K.R. Fisher, L. Foster, J. Ginn, S. Harkness, B.
Harvey, J. Hearn, B. Hewitt, J. Jenson, T. Knijn, R. Mahon, L.
Marg, J. Martinez Franzoni, J. McCoy, S. Meyer, J. Outshoorn, K.
Pringle, S. Razavi, E. Reese, J.l. Rubery, M. Seeleib-Kaiser, X.
Shang, S. Shaver, S. Staab, C. Valiente, F. Williams, A. Yeatman
This book explores the Afro-diasporic experiences of African
skilled migrants in Australia. It explores research participants'
experiences of migration and how these experiences inform their
lives and the lives of their family. It provides theory-based
arguments examining how mainstream immigration attitudes in
Australia impact upon Black African migrants through the mediums of
mediatised moral panics about Black criminality and acts of
everyday racism that construct and enforce their 'strangerhood'.
The book presents theoretical writing on alternate African
diasporic experiences and identities and the changing nature of
such identities. The qualitative study employed semi-structured
interviews to investigate multiple aspects of the migrant
experience including employment, parenting, family dynamics and
overall sense of belonging. This book advances our understanding of
the resilience exercised by skilled Black African migrants as they
adjust to a new life in Australia, with particular implications for
social work, public health and community development practices.
This book examines language education policy in European
migrant-hosting countries. By applying the Multiple Streams
Framework to detailed case studies on Austria and Italy, it sheds
light on the factors and processes that innovate education policy.
The book illustrates an education policy design that values
language diversity and inclusion, and compares underlying
policymaking processes with less innovative experiences. Combining
empirical analysis and qualitative research methods, it assesses
the ways in which language is intrinsically linked to identity and
political power within societies, and how language policy and
migration might become a firmer part of European policy agendas.
Sitting at the intersection between policy studies, language
education studies and integration studies, the book offers
recommendations for how education policy can promote a more
inclusive society. It will appeal to scholars, practitioners and
students who have an interest in policymaking, education policy and
migrant integration.
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