An Institutional Framework for Policymaking: Planning and Population Dispersal in Israel

(Paperback)

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An Institutional Framework for Policymaking offers a new approach to the study of institutions and adds to the growing body of literature in the field of "new institutionalism." Dr. Matt Evans utilizes previous characterizations of institutions to analyze the framework affecting policymaking and the tools used for policy implementation. In examining the effect of institutional change on public policy, this book compares the implementation of population dispersal policy in Israel over two fifteen-year periods. The first period, which includes the years between 1951 and 1965, was characterized by limited electoral competition and societal values that emphasized collective over individual interests. By contrast, the period from 1988 to 2002 constituted a framework of heightened political competition and public policies geared toward individual and group interests. An Institutional Framework for Policymaking provides a critical examination of the role of coercion in public policy, and provides insight into the relevance of national plans and their effectiveness in modern governance. The research in this book will appeal to scholars of political science, public policy, and urban planning.

Reviews

Matt Evans has written an important and insightful book about public policy. His case study of Israel's planning and population dispersal policies is used to illustrate the intricacies and complexities of the concept of tools in policy implementation. His study contributes to a clarification and better understanding of this concept. He also shows how the concept can be used analytically to study and explain public policy. The book should be of interest to students of comparative public policy and policy implementation. -- Fred A. Lazin, Lynn and Lloyd Hurst Family Professor of Local Government, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
An extraordinary amount of research has produced a definitive work on Israeli planning and decision making. The neglected study of the effect of electoral competition on policy formation finally gets the attention it deserves. Scholars everywhere will need to consult Evans. His use of policy tools is cutting edge. The book is indispensable. -- Paul Rich, President, Policy Studies Organization

Author Bio

Matt Evans is a Post Doctoral Fellow at Northwestern University in the Political Science Department. Prior to receiving his Ph.D. in Politics and Government he worked as an urban planner in Israel and the United States.