Public policy: theoretical developments Cover Image

Polityka publiczna - zagadnienia i nurty teoretyczne
Public policy: theoretical developments

Author(s): Ryszard Szarfenberg
Subject(s): Politics, Public Administration, Public Law
Published by: Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie
Keywords: public policy theory; typologies of public policy; the stages model; rational choice; constructionism; the interpretative paradigm; the rational discussion perspective

Summary/Abstract: The examination of public policy in Poland should refer to the terms, analytical categories as well as theories, which have already been postulated in this research field. The article aims to present an overview of the development of public policy theories in the long run. To begin with, the typological and stages approaches were presented. The theories of public policy were presented as two broader classes based on the differentiation into rational and interpretative paradigms. The application of the first one was examined in greater detail in the area of defining the choices of the ways to address public issues. The interpretative paradigm was presented mainly in connection with the argumentative approach as well as an attempt to combine the rational and interpretative approaches in the context of a rational discussion. The overview ends with the presentation of a few ways of organising the public policy research field through the research questions, the research areas, the theoretical-methodological framework as well as the archetypes of the public policy analysts' activity.

  • Issue Year: 9/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 45-75
  • Page Count: 32
  • Language: English, Polish