Public Policy starts with the basics and concisely describes government institutions, identifies primary policy actors, and reviews major theoretical models. The authors then discuss the nature of policy analysis and its practice, and show students how to employ evaluative criteria in six substantive policy areas. At its core, Public Policy guides students through policy alternatives, arming them with the analytic tools to understand how the interests and motivations of policy actors?both within and outside of government?impact a complex, yet comprehensible, policy agenda.