Democracy and the policy sciences / Peter deLeon.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. The Democratic Dream. The American Body Politic. ... And the Study of the Public Sector. Democracy and the Policy Sciences. Organization -- 2. Visions of American Democracy. Democracy in America. Madisonian Democracy. De Tocqueville and American Democracy. Visions of Democracy in Twentieth-Century America. The Case for a Participatory Democracy. In Summary -- 3. Democratic Foundations of the Policy Sciences. The Utilitarian Tradition. Liberal Rationalism. A Comparison -- 4. The Policy Sciences for Democracy. Multidisciplinary Approaches. New Policy Research Paradigms. Postpositivism. Critical Theory. In Review -- 5. The Policy Sciences of Democracy: "Two Roads Diverged ..." An American Democratic Dream. The Critical Policy Sciences. Participatory Policy Analysis. "Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood ..."

As originally proposed by Harold Lasswell, the policy sciences were dedicated to democratic governance. But today they are far removed from the democratic process and do little to promote the American democratic system. This book examines how in the context of American history and the development of the policy sciences, a more democratic, participatory policy analysis could be conceptualized in theory and administered in practice.

Peter deLeon argues that for the policy sciences to move toward democracy, they must accept a new analytic paradigm that draws heavily on critical thinking and the writing of post-positivism. To further that end, he presents a "minipopulist" procedure that will allow more citizen participation without hamstringing the processes of government.