The true measure of the successful practice of public service is its ability to remain faithful to the tenets of democratic society. This introductory text links the practice of public administration to the core concepts of American democracy. It covers the nuts and bolts of public administration in the context of "delivering democracy" in public service - providing what the public really wants as opposed to what self-serving bureaucracies may call for. Chapters in "Democracy and Public Administration" discuss the functional topics covered in other texts, but from the perspective of this democratic ideal. Each chapter is written by an expert in the area, and summarizes previous research in the area, presents the author's research and thought, and offers ways in which practitioners can apply the concepts discussed to their daily work.

This is a completely revised update of the third edition of Public Policy Skills. That manual has been used to teach more than 30,000 students at Syracuse University and in a college credit course taught at more than 50 high schools as part of the academic program of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the Number 1 school of public affairs in the country. Using this book and taking a course based on it prepares you to bring your heart and your mind to solving the many problems that we face in the twenty-first century. The book teaches students the essential components for public policy analysis; how to get information from published sources and individuals; how to survey stakeholders; formulate public policy; examine costs and benefits of a policy; develop political strategies; write a briefing paper; research and write a quantitative research paper; among other skills.

Coplin uses his 50+ years of undergraduate teaching experience to present a series of roles, strategies and tactics to help professors prepare undergraduates for life after college. Through his courses and a highly successful undergraduate program, which he designed in the 1970s and still leads, Policy Studies, he has developed ways to increase student engagement and prepare them for careers and citizenship. He has students and alumni that number in the thousands over two generations who attribute their success to Coplin’s approach to teaching. You can check out his website, where more than 96 unsolicited testimonials from successful alumni who are now doing well and doing good are listed. This book is a self-help manual so that undergraduate professors in all fields can test out his suggestions ideas for themselves. College professors will be much happier because their actions will meet the needs of their students and society.

Complex Contracting draws on core social science concepts to provide wide-ranging practical advice on how best to manage complex acquisitions. Using a strong analytical framework, the authors assess contract management practices, suggesting strategies for improvement and ways to avoid the pitfalls of managing contracts for large and sophisticated projects. An in-depth analysis of the US Coast Guard's Deepwater program is included to illustrate ways to respond to real-world contracting challenges. This high-profile and controversial case consisted of a projected 25-year, $24 billion contract through which the US Coast Guard would buy a system of new boats, aircraft, communications, and control architecture to replace its aging fleet. The authors explore the reasons why this program, launched with such promise, turned out so poorly, and apply the lessons learned to similarly complex contracting scenarios. This engaging and accessible book has broad applicability and will appeal to policymakers, practitioners, scholars and students.

A political scientist explains how the American immigration system ran off the rails -- and proposes a bold plan for reform Under the Trump administration, US immigration agencies terrorize the undocumented, target people who are here legally, and even threaten the constitutional rights of American citizens. How did we get to this point? In Illegal, Elizabeth F. Cohen reveals that our current crisis has roots in early twentieth century white nationalist politics, which began to reemerge in the 1980s. Since then, ICE and CBP have acquired bigger budgets and more power than any other law enforcement agency. Now, Trump has unleashed them. If we want to reverse the rising tide of abuse, Cohen argues that we must act quickly to rein in the powers of the current immigration regime and revive saner approaches based on existing law. Going beyond the headlines, Illegal makes clear that if we don't act now all of us, citizen and not, are at risk.

Whether the goal is building a local park or developing disaster response models, collaborative governance is changing the way public agencies at the local, regional, and national levels are working with each other and with key partners in the nonprofit and private sectors. While the academic literature has spawned numerous case studies and context- or policy-specific models for collaboration, the growth of these innovative collaborative governance systems has outpaced the scholarship needed to define it. Collaborative Governance Regimes breaks new conceptual and practical ground by presenting an integrative framework for working across boundaries to solve shared problems, a typology for understanding variations among collaborative governance regimes, and an approach for assessing both process and productivity performance. This book draws on diverse literatures and uses rich case illustrations to inform scholars and practitioners about collaborative governance regimes and to provide guidance for designing, managing, and studying such endeavors in the future. Collaborative Governance Regimes will be of special interest to scholars and researchers in public administration, public policy, and political science who want a framework for theory building, yet the book is also accessible enough for students and practitioners.

A handy, straightforward guide that teaches students how to acquire marketable job skills and real-world know-how before they graduate—revised and updated for today’s economic and academic landscapes. Award-winning college professor and adviser Bill Coplin lays down the essential skills students need to survive and succeed in today’s job market, based on his extensive interviews with employers, recruiters, HR specialists, and employed college grads. Going beyond test scores and GPAs, Coplin teaches students how to maximize their college experience by focusing on ten crucial skill groups: Work Ethic, Physical Performance, Speaking, Writing, Teamwork, Influencing People, Research, Number Crunching, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving. 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College gives students the tools they need to prepare during their undergraduate years to impress potential employers, land a higher-paying job, and start on the road to career security and satisfaction.