Readers of this chapter will be able to:

1. Understand how personal stories shape our understanding of public policymaking, who’s included and who is left out
2. Identify the variety of institutional and noninstitutional actors who drive how and why policies are adopted
3. Comprehend that the public policymaking process is devised by a series of stages more complex than “how a bill becomes a law”
4. Explore how public policy is a profession driven by expertise
5. Understand the difference between policy analysis and policy process
6. Consider how public policy impacts your daily life