Description
Competing Interests in Public Policy
Contemporary public policy often is the result of a complex series of interactions among a large group of actors. Legislative bodies and government agencies are important players in policy formulation and implementation; however, they are not the only entities involved. There is a multitude of interested parties that may be involved in a public policy issue. For example, education policy issues might involve National Departments of Education, local departments of education, local school boards, teachers, and parents. In addition, there may be other competing interests such as church groups, atheist groups, or publishing groups, which believe that certain subjects should or should not be taught in schools. The interaction among interested parties—referred to as and considered to be competing interests—may be harmonious or conflicting, but their collective involvement in the policy network may have a major effect on outcomes of public policy.
With these thoughts in mind:
this IS THE QUESTION (focus on this )
Post a brief description of the issue you selected and the competing interests involved. Then, explain the role that the competing interests play in advocating and formulating public policy related to your particular issue.
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The development of policy network analyses: From modest origins to overarching frameworks by Thatcher, M., in the Journal of Theoretical Politics, 10(4). Copyright 1998 by Sage Publications Inc. Journals. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc. Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Castells, M. (2005). The network society: From knowledge to policy. In M. Castells, & G. Cardoso (Eds.), The network society: From knowledge to policy. Washington, DC: The Center for Transatlantic Relations. Retrieved from http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?artic…
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014b). Competing interests and policy networks [Audio file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
In this media piece, subject-matter experts discuss the interests and perspectives of various interest groups.
