Thomas A. Birkland is the William T. Kretzer Professor of Public Policy in the School of Public and International Affairs at North Carolina State University. He is the author of After Disaster: Agenda Setting, Public Policy, and Focusing Events.

A valuable book for students of disaster policy and for students of policy change more generally... After reading this book, it is hard not to become an advocate for aggressive disaster mitigation, as opposed to the preponderant paradigm of disaster relief. Perspectives on Politics Readers interested in disaster policy and emergency management will find Lessons instructive and illuminating. The case studies are contextually rich and demonstrate the relationship between focusing events and disaster policies quite deftly. Moreover, readers will find Birkland's thorough knowledge of the policy process impressive ... A worthwhile resource for grasping how concepts of learning may help explain the fits and starts of U.S. disaster policy making. Public Administration Review

• Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. Theories and Models of Policy Change and LearningKnowledge, Learning, and Policy ChangeA Model of Event-Related Policy ChangeLearning and Lessons in This StudyMethodsThe Case StudiesConclusion 2. September 11, Learning, and Policy ChangeWhat is Homeland Security?Events and Reports: The Emergence of the Homeland Security ProblemThe September 11 Attacks as Focusing EventsSeptember 11, Policy Failure, Learning, and ChangeConclusions: Learning after September 11 3. Learning from Aviation Security DisastersHistorical Trends in Aviation SecurityAgenda Change and Security IncidentsPolicy Change, Learning, and ImplementationImplementation Problems in Aviation SecurityConclusions 4. Learning From Earthquakes and HurricanesWhy Natural Hazards MatterDisaster Mitigation as a Primary Goal of Disaster PolicyEarthquakes and Hurricanes on National and Local AgendasLegislation and RegulationLearning from Disasters at the State and Local LevelConclusions 5. Summary and ConclusionsLearning and the Policy ProcessRevisiting the PropositionsAssessing the Elements of the ModelFactors that Promote and Inhibit LearningFocusing Events and the Accumulation of KnowledgePolicy Implementation and LessonsHurricane Katrina and the Unlearning Of LessonsNotes ReferencesIndex Notes

Thomas A. Birkland is the William T. Kretzer Professor of Public Policy in the School of Public and International Affairs at North Carolina State University. He is the author of After Disaster: Agenda Setting, Public Policy, and Focusing Events.

A valuable book for students of disaster policy and for students of policy change more generally... After reading this book, it is hard not to become an advocate for aggressive disaster mitigation, as opposed to the preponderant paradigm of disaster relief. Perspectives on Politics Readers interested in disaster policy and emergency management will find Lessons instructive and illuminating. The case studies are contextually rich and demonstrate the relationship between focusing events and disaster policies quite deftly. Moreover, readers will find Birkland's thorough knowledge of the policy process impressive ... A worthwhile resource for grasping how concepts of learning may help explain the fits and starts of U.S. disaster policy making. Public Administration Review

• Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. Theories and Models of Policy Change and LearningKnowledge, Learning, and Policy ChangeA Model of Event-Related Policy ChangeLearning and Lessons in This StudyMethodsThe Case StudiesConclusion 2. September 11, Learning, and Policy ChangeWhat is Homeland Security?Events and Reports: The Emergence of the Homeland Security ProblemThe September 11 Attacks as Focusing EventsSeptember 11, Policy Failure, Learning, and ChangeConclusions: Learning after September 11 3. Learning from Aviation Security DisastersHistorical Trends in Aviation SecurityAgenda Change and Security IncidentsPolicy Change, Learning, and ImplementationImplementation Problems in Aviation SecurityConclusions 4. Learning From Earthquakes and HurricanesWhy Natural Hazards MatterDisaster Mitigation as a Primary Goal of Disaster PolicyEarthquakes and Hurricanes on National and Local AgendasLegislation and RegulationLearning from Disasters at the State and Local LevelConclusions 5. Summary and ConclusionsLearning and the Policy ProcessRevisiting the PropositionsAssessing the Elements of the ModelFactors that Promote and Inhibit LearningFocusing Events and the Accumulation of KnowledgePolicy Implementation and LessonsHurricane Katrina and the Unlearning Of LessonsNotes ReferencesIndex Notes

Thomas A. Birkland is the William T. Kretzer Professor of Public Policy in the School of Public and International Affairs at North Carolina State University. He is the author of After Disaster: Agenda Setting, Public Policy, and Focusing Events.

A valuable book for students of disaster policy and for students of policy change more generally... After reading this book, it is hard not to become an advocate for aggressive disaster mitigation, as opposed to the preponderant paradigm of disaster relief. Perspectives on Politics Readers interested in disaster policy and emergency management will find Lessons instructive and illuminating. The case studies are contextually rich and demonstrate the relationship between focusing events and disaster policies quite deftly. Moreover, readers will find Birkland's thorough knowledge of the policy process impressive ... A worthwhile resource for grasping how concepts of learning may help explain the fits and starts of U.S. disaster policy making. Public Administration Review

• Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. Theories and Models of Policy Change and LearningKnowledge, Learning, and Policy ChangeA Model of Event-Related Policy ChangeLearning and Lessons in This StudyMethodsThe Case StudiesConclusion 2. September 11, Learning, and Policy ChangeWhat is Homeland Security?Events and Reports: The Emergence of the Homeland Security ProblemThe September 11 Attacks as Focusing EventsSeptember 11, Policy Failure, Learning, and ChangeConclusions: Learning after September 11 3. Learning from Aviation Security DisastersHistorical Trends in Aviation SecurityAgenda Change and Security IncidentsPolicy Change, Learning, and ImplementationImplementation Problems in Aviation SecurityConclusions 4. Learning From Earthquakes and HurricanesWhy Natural Hazards MatterDisaster Mitigation as a Primary Goal of Disaster PolicyEarthquakes and Hurricanes on National and Local AgendasLegislation and RegulationLearning from Disasters at the State and Local LevelConclusions 5. Summary and ConclusionsLearning and the Policy ProcessRevisiting the PropositionsAssessing the Elements of the ModelFactors that Promote and Inhibit LearningFocusing Events and the Accumulation of KnowledgePolicy Implementation and LessonsHurricane Katrina and the Unlearning Of LessonsNotes ReferencesIndex Notes