![Cover: Book Review of [A Pre-View of Policy Sciences], Harold D. Lasswell (New York: Elsevier, 1971), 173 pp., for [Technological Forecasting and Social Change].](/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/papers.gif)
Book Review of [A Pre-View of Policy Sciences], Harold D. Lasswell (New York: Elsevier, 1971), 173 pp., for [Technological Forecasting and Social Change].
Purchase Print Copy
| Format | List Price | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add to Cart | Paperback3 pages | $20.00 | $16.00 20% Web Discount |
The reviewer considers this book difficult to understand but essential as a thorough exposition of the scope and methods of the emerging discipline of policy science. Its primary difficulty is that only the reader already sophisticated in the field and with a research or policy problem in mind can readily understand its abstractions. That reader is well rewarded with new insights into creative problem-solving and decisionmaking. For the average reader, or even the unimaginative analyst who is constrained by a narrow disciplinary perspective, the book misses the mark. Nevertheless, it is so important that it deserves careful attention by anyone interested in the field. 3 pp.
This report is part of the RAND Corporation Paper series. The paper was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1948 to 2003 that captured speeches, memorials, and derivative research, usually prepared on authors' own time and meant to be the scholarly or scientific contribution of individual authors to their professional fields. Papers were less formal than reports and did not require rigorous peer review.
This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.