Introduction : Policy analysis in France

This chapter stands as an introduction to an edited volume Policy analysis in France. It begins with a brief overview of what policy studies means and how it is analyzed in the French context. It then highlights and provides a few explanations for the enduring gap between academic knowledge and policy practices which characterizes French policy analysis. Third, it discusses the significance of policy studies in understanding State restructuring and policy developments in France. The fourth section introduces the book outline in greater detail