Advocacy Coalition and Welfare Policy : Analyzing Coalition Consensus

Advocacy Coalition and Welfare Policy deals with values; especially religiously based values, in public policy and how these religious values and ideas can improve one's understanding of the human condition and ultimately affect policymaking. In most academic inquiries, especially in the social sciences, religion is not a critical element of the investigation. This detailed and well researched study argues against this line of thought. Focusing on advocacy coalition and welfare policy, this book examines the relationship between Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Catholic clergy during the 1930s and the impact of this relationship on New Deal programs. A thorough examination of this coalition suggests that the issues that once plagued public policies still linger today. The book also offers historical evidence for the beneficial role of religious values in policymaking.