Public Policy and the study of public administration in Italy: A marriage that is still young.

This chapter examines the contribution of public policy scholarship to the study of Italian public administration, highlighting both achievements and limitations. Although public policy has become increasingly institutionalized in Italy since the 1980s, its impact on understanding administrative behaviour and reform remains limited due to the small number of scholars engaged in this field. Italian research has focused mainly on administrative reform, offering valuable insights into policy design, implementation, and the persistence of the legalistic paradigm. However, several empirical and theoretical gaps persist, including weak attention to bureaucratic careers, policymaker–bureaucrat relations, and the evaluation of reform outcomes. The chapter argues that applying contemporary policy process theories and more robust methodological designs could substantially enhance the explanatory power and policy relevance of this research. Ultimately, the integration of public policy approaches into administrative studies remains in its infancy but holds significant potential for advancing theory and informing practice in Italy.