Esterling (U. of California, Riverside) examines the influence of policy research and public-interest expertise in lobbying and legislation. Organized interest groups pressure Congress to base public policy on academic policy research and analysis for their own purposes. However, countering prior theories that posit the opposite, Esterling argues that this kind of research-backed lobbying also furthers the larger public interest by advancing policies that are effective, efficient, and well-informed. His study focuses on the variable effects of research-based information, debate, and cognitive framing on complex problem solving in the democratic system. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
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