“Essential reading for those interested in the analysis and practice of policy, public administration and politics.” (*)

This accessible book gives academics, graduate students, and researchers a comprehensive survey of the vast, varied, and often confusing landscape of interpretive policy analysis. The book is both theoretically informed and clear and jargon-free in its wide-ranging coverage of the different interpretive approaches in policy analysis.

For each approach, the author provides a strong practical example from the policy literature. He distinguishes between three distinct types of meaning—hermeneutic, discursive, and dialogical—each of which is rooted in different philosophical assumptions, underlies different approaches to interpretive analysis, and focuses on different topics in public policy.

The book dispassionately discusses the specific strengths and limitations of different interpretive approaches, and combines thorough theoretical discussions with a practical orientation towards doing policy analysis. It includes an extremely comprehensive bibliography.

Endorsements: “Recent years have brought to the fore a range of interpretive and discursive approaches to policy analysis that have successfully challenged mainstream approaches. This superb and lucidly written book consolidates this emergent field of research, whilst developing new ideas and methods in an imaginative and innovative fashion. Under the expert tutelage of Wagenaar, the vital roles of practice, meaning, dialogue and interpretation are now firmly established at the leading edge of critical policy studies. This text is essential reading for those interested in the analysis and practice of policy, public administration and politics.” — David Howarth, University of Essex (*)

“His 'Rough Guide' through the austere and abstract terrain of interpretive policy analysis is essential reading for professors and students alike. The book should lead interpretive policy analysis out of its academic closet to become a leading vehicle for policy analysis grounded in the everyday ordinary knowledge of citizens and the harried everyday lives of ministers and public servants.” — Rod Rhodes, University of Tasmania

“Reading this book is like having a series of leisurely conversations with a wise and warm friend-one who just happens to be passionate, experienced and erudite on the topic of interpretive political analysis. I'm delighted to have this wonderful new work as my intellectual companion.” — Deborah Stone, Dartmouth College

“This book will be a practical treasure chest for readers and researchers in many fields. Wagenaar helps us not just to appreciate diverse theoretical perspectives, but also to see how deeply differing theories help us explore, reveal, and re-imagine the empirical, practical world. Attentive to both theory and practice, this book will help us all to do better research-and so, then, to refine our theories and improve our non-academic practice as well.” — John Forester, Cornell University