The Politics of Detail : The Micro-Dimension of Policy Design / Giliberto Capano, Michael Howlett.

1. Introduction: Reclaiming the Micro-Layer of Policy Design.

2. What the Policy Sciences Have and Have Not Explained About the Sites of Policy Success and Failure.

3. A Multi-level Perspective on Policy Composition.

4. The Micro-Dimensions of Policy Design: The Classical Foundations.

5. A New Wave of Work on Targets and Calibrations: Achievements and Remaining Gaps.

6. The Architecture of Micro-Design: A Framework of Policy Specifications and Calibrations.

7. Implications of the Framework: The Delivery Package as the Appropriate Analytical Unit to Assess the Micro-Dimensions of Policy.

8. Operationalizing the Framework: From Model to Empirical Application.

9. Measuring Policy Change through Micro-Design Analysis.

10. Conclusion: The Micro-Dimension and the Politics of Governing.

Whilst much has been written on the macro- and meso-dimensions of policy design, far less attention has been given to the ways in which specific policy goals, objectives, and instruments are applied in reality. This book addresses this important oversight by examining the micro-dimension of policy design. The open access book highlights how the micro-dimension of policy design consists of two important components - specifications and calibrations. These components are crucial in translating policy goals into tangible outcomes. By focusing more closely on the micro-dimension of policy design, the book puts forward an important new framework to enable practitioners, analysts and decision makers to design better policies and attain policy success. It also helps us to better understand the reasons behind political conflicts in policymaking. It will appeal to scholars and students of public policy, public administration and public management, as well as practitioners.

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