Bringing Politics Back In: Defense Policy and the Theoretical Study of Institutions and Processes
Author(s)
Mayer, Kenneth R.; Khademian, Anne M.
Abstract
Are defense studies relevant to the study of public administration? Students of public administration, regulatory processes, public bureaucracy, and policy studies rarely focus on defense as their substantive area, leaving the field to those trained in defense studies and international relations. The result is negligible attention to the domestic political aspects of defense policy and minimal understanding of the administrative aspects of defense policy. The authors’ goals are to (1) establish why this gap exists, (2) draw parallels with similar arguments that are giving way under scrutiny in other fields of study, and (3) identify the gains to be made by bridging the gap.
