Lobbying and Policymaking: The Public Pursuit of Private Interests

Kenneth Godwin · Scott H. Ainsworth · Erik Godwin

Feb 2012 · SAGE

Ebook

280

Pages

Eligible

About this ebook

Spurred by the disconnect between what was being taught in the classroom and actual practice, Godwin, Ainsworth, and Godwin set out to answer the question, "Was political science missing some key aspects of the interactions between lobbyists and policy makers?" Built on interviews with over 100 lobbyists, these authors show that much of the research on organized interests overlooks the lobbying of regulatory agencies even though it accounts for almost half of all lobbying—even though bureaucratic agencies have considerable leeway in the how they choose to implement law. This groundbreaking new book argues that lobbying activity is not mainly a struggle among competing interests over highly collective goods; rather, it′s the public provision of private goods. And more to the point, this shift in understanding influences our perception of the strengths and weaknesses of American democracy.

Through a series of highly readable case studies, the authors employ both neopluralist and exchange perspectives to explore the lobbying activity that occurs in the later stages of the policymaking process which are typically less partisan, involve little conflict, and receive scant public attention. Lobbying and Policymaking sheds new light on lobbying influence on the policy process, and is an ideal way to expose students to cutting-edge research in an accessible, fascinating package.

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About the author

Kenneth Godwin is the Marshall Rauch Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. He previously taught at the University of North Texas, University of Arizona, and Oregon State University. He also served as the Rockefeller Environmental Fellow at Resources for the Future. Godwin is the author or coauthor of seven books concerning public policy issues and interest groups. His articles have appeared in numerous journals including the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Southern Economic Journal, Public Choice, and AI. From 2000 to 2006, he served as the coeditor of Political Research Quarterly.

Scott H. Ainsworth is professor of political science in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia. His work on lobbying, interest groups, and the U.S. Congress has appeared in numerous outlets including the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Legislative Studies Quarterly. He is the author of Analyzing Interest Groups and coauthor of Abortion Politics in Congress: Strategic Incrementalism and Policy Change.

Erik Godwin is assistant professor of political science at Texas A&M University. His research interests focus on policy design and its implementation by the federal bureaucracy. Godwin received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and he holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan. Godwin previously conducted financial and economic analyses for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. He joined the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Clinton White House. After leaving the White House, he spent six years as an executive-branch lobbyist on environmental, energy, and health issues.

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