The concept refers to the intervention of an authority which is invested with public power and governmental legitimacy. It concerns a specific field of society or territory, e.g. national/regional/local youth policies.

We are especially aware of three aspects:

• Public policies carry contents;

• Public policies propose benefits or welfare allowances;

• Public policies generate effects (such as institutionalised life courses), and mobilise activities and work processes. They are implemented thanks to relationships with other social actors (individual or collective).

When we refer to public policies, the following questions are generally raised;

• Which public authority? (local/national/European?)

• Which public field of intervention?

• When do interventions take place?

• Towards which targeted groups?

• Which level of implementation?

In the framework of the current project, we will pay particular attention to youth policies, social and employment policies for young people, integration, childcare and educational policies. (PL)

References:

Héritier Adrienne (1996) The accommodation of diversity in European policy-making, in: Journal of European public policy, 3/2 : 149-167.
Jones C. O. (1970) An introduction to the study of public policy, Belmont (Calif.), Duxbury Press.
Wildavsky A. B. (1979) Speaking truth to power: the art and craft of policy analysis, Boston (Mass.), Little, Brown and Co.