The difference between a story and policy is that a story can always be changed. Public policy becomes, at some point, the law passed or the budget utilized. It can also be altered, but changing an agreed upon policy is not easy. This is also because the dynamic process of public policy design, with public input and debate is taken very seriously. And what takes a long time to define, test, debate and implement, should not be easily undone.
Public policy can provide and enhance opportunity and access for people.
It can be a major vehicle of democratic change for a nation. However, people must understand how to think about policy - how to design it and ensure its implementation. Like anything of power, if it is not done well, it can become the opposite of what was intended. This public policy book seeks to provide an introduction to policy for new analysts in this area. It offers an overview and then explores different kinds of policies.