Authors: Nohlen
Summary: In about 400 words, after distinguishing the concept 'policy' from those of politics and polity, for which the German language has only one word, then the purpose of policy studies is stressed and finally a wide definition and explanation of the concet is given.
Policy has a concrete, substantial meaning in contrast with the formal (polity) and procedural (politics) dimensions of Politik.
Policy studies focus on how and through which means does the state elaborate social problems. The core question relates to its political objects and tasks, where problem solving and tasks accomplishments through the political administrative system and the social behaviour shaping are accompanied, in the same public policy, by the expression of target and value conflicts.
Nowadays a central debate is how to conceive globally contents, determinants and consequences of a public policy. If a common definition for policy is not shared , by contrast, some of its core characteristics are. Hence policies are defined as middle range goal oriented activities, which, restrictively mean the outcomes of policy process (laws, programs) and, in a broader sense, mean also their implementation. In a systemic perspective policy would be on the output side.