This Handbook covers the accounts, by practitioners and observers, of the ways in which policy is formed around problems, how these problems are recognized and understood, and how diverse participants come to be involved in addressing them. H.K. Colebatch and Robert Hoppe draw together a range of original contributions from experts in the field to illuminate the ways in which policies are formed and how they shape the process of governing. The Handbook on Policy, Process and Governing covers not only the activities of government, but also the contributions of other stakeholders, and the ways in which a wide range of participants contribute to the formation of public policy. It explores the tensions involved in the policy process between: innovative choice and stable practice, authoritative decision and negotiated order, and agreed activity and announced goals. The scholar's focus on the analysis of activity and the practitioner's interest in the achievement of outcomes are brought together in this timely book, making it a valuable read for public policy scholars and practitioners alike. Contributors include: K.P.R. Bartels, V. Bekkers, W. Blomquist, H.K. Colebatch, D. Dery, D.P. Dolowitz, K. Dowding, W.N. Dunn, A.R. Edwards, J.-E. Furubo, J. Grin, R. Hoppe, M. Howlett, P. Hupe, H. Ingram, M. Ingram, P. John, A. Kellow, J. Kohoutek, K. Lancaster, R. Lejano, I. Mukherjee, M. Nekola, E.C. Page, A. Ritter, M. Sedlacko, H. Strassheim, R. Tiffen, N. Turnbull, A. Veselý, J.J. Woo

Table of Contents:
Contents: 1. Introduction: Policy, process and making sense of governing H.K. Colebatch and Robert Hoppe Part I: Tracing the signature of policy 2. ‘Whatever governments decide to do or not to do’ Ed Page 3. policy as ordering through documents Michal Sedlacko 4. policy as (mere) problem-solving Nick Turnbull 5. policy as practice Koen Bartels 6. policy as a body of expertise Holger Strassheim Part II: Policy as authoritative choice 7 ‘stage’’ theories of the policy process William Dunn 8. design as a window on the policy process Hal Colebatch 9. Thirty years of research on policy instruments Michael Howlett, Ishani Mukherjee and J.J. Woo 10. implementation Peter Hupe 11. evidence and evaluation Jan-Eric Furubo Part III: Policy as structured interaction 12. Linkage and the policy process Hal Colebatch 13. The Advocacy Coalition Framework Keith Dowding 14. Multiple streams Alison Ritter and Kari Lancaster 15. Policy work and its significance for public policy Jan Kohoutek, Martin Nekola and Arnost Vesele. Part IV: Policy as sense-making 16. Frames and framings in policy-making Perri 6 17. Agenda formation and change Peter John 18. Narrative in the policy process Raul Lejano, Mrill Ingram and Helen Ingram 19. Policy learning and diffusion David Dolowitz 20. The news media and the policy process Rod Tiffen 21. The role of Social Media in the policy process Victor Bekkers and Arthur Edwards 22. Problematisation David Dery Part V: The limits of policy 23. Choice v. incrementalism Robert Hoppe 24. Stasis and change John Grin 25. Policy and Socio-economic characteristics William Blomquist 26. From Policy typologies to policy feedback Aynsley Kellow What do we learn from this ? 27. Policy and the theorising of governing Robert Hoppe and H.K. Colebatch Index