Policy Analysis as Problem Solving:
A Flexible and Evidence Based Framework

By Rachel Meltzer and Alex Schwartz

Unlike other texts, Policy Analysis as Problem Solving (Routledge 2018) employs a pragmatic, heterodox approach to the field. Whereas most texts on policy analysis are anchored in microeconomics, prioritizing economic efficiency, this book takes a broader view, drawing from multiple disciplines, qualitative and quantitative modalities, and realistic examples to illustrate the full scope of policy analysis.  The text also has extensive downloadable resources—which include interviews, case studies, and further readings—for students to conduct simulated policy analyses of their own.

​"This book is exactly what is needed, by public policy students and by faculty. It includes the   breadth of analytical tools needed by the future policy analyst, within a flexible yet operative framework. By including two in-depth cases throughout the text, it also provides the instructor with the needed context to go from abstract tools to concrete, and contextually appropriate, policy advice."





Katherine M. O’Regan, Professor, Public Policy and Planning, NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and Former Assistant Secretary, Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

"This textbook provides the ideal counterpoint to the conventional rational model of policy analysis. It helps the user understand the nuanced differences between orthodox approaches that emphasize economic efficiency and heterodox approaches that embrace a wider array of criteria for evaluation of policy options and equips the reader with real-life examples that will assist in delivering balanced solutions to messy policy problems."
Samuel Myers Jr., Roy Wilkins Professor of Human Relations and Social Justice, University of Minnesota, Humphrey School of Public Affairs

"This important book introduces policy analysis as a means to social impact, not as an end itself. Policy Analysis as Problem Solving shows its readers how evidence can make a difference in solving important and often messy problems, but acknowledges the many ways that evidence can be assembled to make progress against what seem to be impossible goals. The book gives readers the chance to consider the many choices that lead to impact, while using real-world cases to show how policy analysis can create clarity in the midst of today's bitter disputes about the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to what often seem to be intractable problems. This well-written, smoothly presented book is well-designed to become the standard text for policy analysis courses for the next generation of problem solvers." 
Paul C. Light, Paulette Goddard Professor of Public Service, Robert Wagner School of Public Service, New York University

This an innovative, well-written textbook that presents policy analysis from a more interdisciplinary perspective than other books. I connected with its view of policy analysis as "evidence-based advice-giving" and appreciated the way it integrates the latest insights from the behavioral sciences and design thinking. I believe the book will not only inspire deeper learning about policy analysis but also teach practical skills that students can take with them and actually use to help both public and nonprofit organizations make better decisions.
Gregg Van Ryzin, Professor, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University–Newark

Rachel Meltzer and Alex Schwartz finally offer faculty a pragmatic and accessible approach to policy analysis for our students in their new book, Policy Analysis as Problem Solving. Throughout the book, Meltzer and Schwartz are particularly adept at contextualizing a particular topic and explaining its significance. The volume also marries the theoretical with the practical [and] provides students with the theory they need to know, but helps facilitate the understanding and retention of that theory with practical application and examples. … Ultimately, Meltzer and Schwartz’s book would make a fantastic addition to the reading list of any policy analysis or public policy process course. 

Michelle Pautz, Book Review in Journal of Public Affairs Education (2020)