Policy Studies Organization (PSO) is an academic organization whose purpose is to advance the study of
policy analysis
Policy analysis is a technique used in the public administration sub-field of political science to enable civil servants, nonprofit organizations, and others to examine and evaluate the available options to implement the goals of laws and elected ...
by publishing
academic journal
An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and ...
s, books, sponsoring conferences and producing programs, curriculum, and videos.
History
In 1972, the Policy Studies Organization formed out of a number of groups including the
American Political Science Association to focus on important public policy issues. Some of the goals of the PSO included sponsoring conferences, obtaining discounts for subscriptions and books, and encouraging conventions both regionally and nationally. The
Policy Studies Journal
''Policy Studies Journal'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization and the American Political Science Association's Public Policy Section. The journal was establish ...
was soon established alongside the PSO to focus on policy matters like environmental protection, education, peace, and civil liberties. There are now 35 journals in different fields and more than 1000 books in print from the PSO's Westphalia Press.
The Policy Studies Organization – a related society of the American, Midwest, Southern and International Political Science Associations, as well as of the International Studies Association and several other societies – grew out of a concern that there was a distance between research and practice in policy. In other words, research knowledge had to be effectively disseminated and had to reach those who actually set policies. The goal of the Policy Studies Organization includes bringing together people who felt that policies (and not just government policies, but policies of companies, of universities, and indeed of all kinds of institutions) should be informed policies based on many different academic disciplines.
PSO includes senior executives, undergraduate and graduate students, state legislators, architects, judges, military officers, interested in policy studies, environmentalists who want to “green” decision making, NGO executives who worry about the future of volunteerism, professors who are working on curriculum revision, government officials in numerous agencies — in short, PSO is for intellectually active people of all persuasions. The main office of Policy Studies Organization is in Washington, DC, in the historic Bank Building in Dupont Circle but there are offices across the world, including in Asia and Europe.
Conferences
The Policy Studies Organization sponsors major international conferences year round to promote multidisciplinary conversations of relevant policy issues. The goal of these events is to encourage NGOs, government officials, students, academics, and the general public to engage in dialogues about on-going policy concerns. These conferences are co-sponsored by the
American Public University System
American Public University System (APUS) is a private, for-profit, online university system with its headquarters in Charles Town, West Virginia. It is composed of American Military University and American Public University (APU). APUS is who ...
. The following are conferences held by the PSO annually:
*
PSW Lecture Series'
*
Middle East Dialogue'
*
World Conference on Fraternalism, Social Capital, and Civil Society'
*
International Criminology Conference'
*
Space Education & Strategic Applications Conference'
*
Dupont Summit on Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy'
The PSO is also working on a new series of conferences with
Sculpture Review
''Sculpture Review'' is the official illustrated publication of the National Sculpture Society (NSS). It is concerned with figurative sculpture. It features articles about the history of figurative sculpture and sculptors as well as current arti ...
, and has an upcoming conference series on the uses of public space, with the first of planned conferences occurring o
June 4, 2023 in Washington DC In addition, the PSO assists with the annual meeting of th
Far West Popular Culture Association Conference
Journals
*''
Asian Politics & Policy''
*''
Digest of Middle East Studies
''Digest of Middle East Studies'' is a biannual peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. The journal was established in 1992 with Mohammed M. Aman (University of Wisconsin–Milwa ...
''
*
European Policy Analysis'
*''
Latin American Policy''
*''
Policy & Internet
''Policy & Internet'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. The journal was established in 2009 and its editor-in-chief is Jonathon Hutchinson with Managing Editor, ...
''
*''
Policy Studies Journal
''Policy Studies Journal'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization and the American Political Science Association's Public Policy Section. The journal was establish ...
''
*
Policy Studies Yearbook'
*''
Politics & Policy''
*''
Poverty & Public Policy''
*''
Review of Policy Research
''Review of Policy Research'' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. The journal was established in 1981. The current editors-in-chief are Nita Farahany, Ken Rogerso ...
''
*''
Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy''
*''
World Affairs
''World Affairs'' is an American quarterly journal covering international relations. At one time, it was an official publication of the American Peace Society. The magazine has been published since 1837 and was re-launched in January 2008 as a new ...
''
*''
World Medical & Health Policy''
*''
World Water Policy''
Open Access Journals
*''Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy''
*''Journal of Elder Policy''
*''Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice''
*''Ritual, Secrecy, & Civil Society''
*''International Journal of Criminology''
*''World Food Policy''
*''Journal on Policy and Complex Systems''
*''New Water Policy and Practice''
*''Sexuality, Gender, and Policy''
*''Global Security and Intelligence Studies''
*''Arts & International Affairs''
*''Popular Culture Review''
*''Space Education and Strategic Applications''
*''Saber & Scroll''
*''China Policy Journal''
*''Indian Politics & Policy''
*''International Journal of Open Educational Resources''
Publications
A key component of the Policy Studies Organization is its publications. Through its journals, book series, and open access journals, the PSO aims to disseminate policy scholarship. Many of the journals are published through Wiley-Blackwell or through open access. The PSO also publishes antiquated and original books through its ow
Westphalia Pressimprint; titles range on subjects like history, art, politics, and the government. They recently publishe
All Flowers Bloomby Kawika Guillermo, Winner of the 2021 Reviewers Choice Gold Award for Best General Fiction/Novel.
Westphalia Press
Westphalia Press is the imprint and book-publishing division of the Policy Studies Organization. Westphalia Press takes its name from the kingdom of the same name which has long been incorporated into Germany, but was one of the first European principalities to affirm constitutional rights of its subjects and which had a robust printing and publishing tradition over the centuries.
Westphalia Press is part of the Policy Studies Organization’s longtime mission to disseminate scholarship internationally, widely and cost effectively. Westphalia Press publishes original and classic reprints of scholarly and antiquarian books in a wide range of subjects, including history, health, art, literature, politics, science and government. Their publications have been the subject of articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous other outlets. Westphalia Press has published over 1,000 titles, and in addition, the Policy Studies Organization has created more than 300 books in partnership with a number of leading companies, including Macmillan, Lexington, and Gale. Some major featured categories of holdings by Westphalia Press include diplomacy and international affairs, health policy, art, freemasonry, and military history and policy; however, there are numerous other featured subjects, such as cookbooks, games, literature, health policy, environmental studies, religious studies, and food/agricultural policy.
Presidents of the Policy Studies Organization
The current president of the PSO is Paul J. Rich. Past presidents include: James Anderson, Walter Beach, William Browne, William Crotty, Kenneth Dolbeare,
Yehezkel Dror
Yehezkel Dror ( he, יחזקאל דרור; born 1928) is a professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Biography
Arthur Yehezkel DrorAluf Benn'There's No Alternative to Netanyahu; Our Democracy Is Safe,' Says Israel ...
,
William Dunn,
Thomas Dye,
Matthew Holden
Matthew Holden Jr. is an American political scientist.
Biography
He attended public school in Mississippi and Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1950 and received a B.A. degree in political science from Roosevelt Uni ...
, Richard Hula, Helen Ingram, Dorothy James,
Charles Jones,
Rita Mae Kelly
Rita Mae Kelly (December 10, 1939 – September 16, 2001) was an American political scientist. She was a professor of political science at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she held the Andrew R. Cecil Endowed Chair in Applied Ethics. She w ...
,
Robert Lane, Martin Levin, Robert Lineberry,
Theodore Lowi
Theodore J. "Ted" Lowi (July 9, 1931 – February 17, 2017) was an American political scientist. He was the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions teaching in the Government Department at Cornell University. His area of research was th ...
, Duncan Macrae, Jr., Dean Mann, Daniel Mazmanian, Guy Peters, Harrell Rogers, Thomas Vocino, Larry Wade,
Carol Weiss
Carol Hirschon Weiss was an American scholar of education and policy analysis. She was the Beatrice B. Whiting Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She was one of the founders of the scientific study of social pr ...
, Louise White,
Aaron Wildavsky
Aaron Wildavsky (May 31, 1930 – September 4, 1993) was an American political scientist known for his pioneering work in public policy, government budgeting, and risk management.
Early years
A native of Brooklyn in New York, Wildavsky was th ...
.
References
External links
Policy Studies Organization Website
Academic organizations based in the United States
Public policy
{{Org-stub