The Uk Social Policy Process

by Catherine Bochel and Hugh M. Bochel

• ISBN13: 9780333753408
• ISBN10: 0333753402
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2004-03-04
• Publisher: Red Globe Pr

Summary

The UK Social Policy Process examines the wide range of factors that influence social policies and their outcomes.Devolution, "modernization", reform of the public services, emphases on public participation and on "what works" in the delivery of welfare are all impacting on and shaping social policy.Combining coverage of theoretical perspectives with discussion of institutional change, this book provides a timely examination of the policy process and social policy, from agenda setting to implementation and evaluation.

Author Biography

Catherine Bochel is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at University of Lincoln.

Hugh M. Bochel is a Professor of Public Policy, University of Lincoln.

Table of Contents

List of Exhibits, Figures and Tables	x
Preface	xii
Acknowledgements	xiii
Introduction	1	(1)
Using this book	1	(4)
Social Policy and Social Policy Analysis	5	(19)
Why look at social policy making?	6	(2)
What is policy?	8	(2)
What is social policy?	10	(1)
What is policy analysis?	11	(3)
Who are policy analysis?	14	(1)
Themes and developments under the Conservatives, 1979 to 1997	15	(1)
Policy, administration and management	16	(3)
Intellectual challenges	19	(3)
Conclusion	22	(1)
Further reading	23	(1)
Perspectives on Policy Making	24	(25)
Why do we use models of policy and decision making?	26	(1)
Agenda-setting	26	(5)
Rationalism and incrementalism	31	(7)
The power of bureaucracies	38	(1)
Perspectives on bureaucracies	39	(3)
Street-level bureaucrats	42	(2)
Implementation	44	(4)
Conclusion	48	(1)
Further reading	48	(1)
Power and Policy	49	(27)
Pluralism	50	(5)
Corporatism	55	(2)
The dual state thesis	57	(1)
Policy communities and policy networks	58	(3)
Regime theory	61	(2)
Institutional theory	63	(2)
Elite theory	65	(2)
Marxist perspectives	67	(3)
Public choice theories	70	(2)
Globalisation	72	(2)
Conclusion	74	(1)
Further reading	74	(2)
Central Government	76	(27)
What is central government?	77	(1)
The core executive	77	(5)
The Cabinet	82	(3)
Senior civil servants	85	(2)
The civil service	87	(2)
Parliament	89	(7)
The judiciary	96	(4)
Conclusion	100	(2)
Further reading	102	(1)
Multi-Level Governance	103	(34)
The European Union	104	(3)
Sub-central government	107	(1)
Devolution	108	(6)
Local government	114	(18)
'Partnership'	132	(2)
Conclusion	134	(1)
Further reading	135	(2)
Quasi-Government	137	(22)
What is quasi-government?	138	(3)
The origins and growth of quangos	141	(4)
The uses and abuses of quasi-government	145	(5)
Next Steps agencies	150	(1)
Reforming quasi-government	151	(3)
Labour and quasi-government	154	(2)
Conclusion	156	(1)
Further reading	157	(2)
Participation	159	(19)
Approaches to participation	162	(4)
User involvement	166	(4)
Political parties	170	(1)
The voluntary sector	171	(5)
Conclusion	176	(1)
Further reading	177	(1)
Evaluation	178	(24)
Evaluation and monitoring	180	(1)
The need for policy evaluation	180	(2)
Problems in policy evaluation	182	(2)
Methods and techniques of policy evaluation	184	(9)
Commissioning and using evaluations	193	(1)
Who evaluates?	194	(1)
The use of evaluations	194	(1)
Policy transfer	195	(3)
Conclusion	198	(2)
Further reading	200	(2)
Conclusions	202	(5)
Bibliography	207	(11)
Index	218