Analysing Policy: What's the problem represented to be?

TL;DR: An approach to thinking about public policy and a new methodology for analysing policy are presented, and a set of six questions that probe how ‘problems’ are represented in policies are introduced.

Abstract: This book presents an approach to thinking about public policy and a new methodology for analysing policy. It introduces a set of six questions that probe how ‘problems’ are represented in policies, and urges policymakers to apply these questions to their policy proposals. This new approach to policy analysis offers insights into a broad range of policy areas, including welfare, drugs/alcohol and gambling, criminal justice, health, education, immigration and population, media and research policy. The contents are: Introducing a ‘what’s the problem represented to be?’ approach to policy analysis; Rethinking policy analysis: theory and politics; Welfare, ‘youth’ and unemployment; ‘Dangerous’ consumptions: drugs/alcohol and gambling policy; Crime and justice; Health, wellbeing and the social determinants of health; Population, immigration, citizenship: ‘securing’ a place in the world; The limits of equality: anti-discrimination and ‘special measures’; The ambivalence of education: HECS and lifelong learning; ‘Knowledge production’ in the ‘information society’: media and research policy