In an age when we are aware of our increasing global connections with one another, it is only fitting that we should observe the larger similarities that we may share with other nations in the realm of policymaking. In this book, editors Martin A. Levin and Martin Shapiro argue that policymakers on both the conservative and liberal side of the spectrum are so concerned about courting undecided voters who take a “middle of the road” stance that they often compromise bold or innovative policy initiatives in the name of moderation to attract these neutral voters. To complicate matters, most governments are facing austere conditions—which suggests that while demographic and political forces shape policymaking, economic variables play a pivotal role as well. The end result of this complex scenario is that policymakers are more likely to be conformists than trailblazers.

This book highlights reform efforts in many nations that are marked by divergent patterns, fragmented political power, and an incremental mix of “reform without change.” The contributors claim that this is true not only in the United States but in Germany, France, Britain, and other parts of the European Union as well. They maintain that bold regulatory and social welfare policy initiatives are compromised because parties and policymakers are weaker, more divided, and more competitive than ever before. As a result, policymaking drifts reactively, rather than taking a proactive or predetermined course of action. To the editors and authors, this is not only frustrating but also suboptimal.

The book includes discussions from nine authors dealing with specific issues in regulatory and social issue areas. Jacob Hacker indicates that health-care policy reform in the United States, Canada, Germany, and the UK has been marked by changes that are not truly reformatory in nature, but rather limited by plummeting public faith, stagnant economies, and anxiety about equality. Kent Weaver suggests that pension plans in the wealthiest countries are determined by “path-dependent” policies resulting in limited options for change. Jonah Levy discusses different strategies for activating labor markets in different societies, including Sweden, Holland, and Britian, and stresses that this activation results in different policies—each with divergent economic and social implications. In the fourth chapter, Virginie Guiraudon looks at immigration reform and argues that this movement has been more effective in Europe than in the United States within the last 10 years, but she notes that immigration reform has been more positive in the United States since September 11. Thomas Burke maintains that a key group of smart, creative activists is responsible for reframing policy issues regarding disability rights. David Vogel suggests that the policy preferences of Americans and Europeans have diverged within the realm of risk regulation, and that this has resulted in policy gridlock in the United States, with the same result expected in the European community. With respect to environmental policy, Daniel Kelemen indicates that fragmented systems in both the United States and the European Union result in a “legalistic” approach to environmental policymaking, and Adam Sheingate maintains that politicians in the reform movement overplay their strengths. John Cioffi suggests that U.S.-based private organizations have been less impacted by policy reform movements stressing transparency and disclosure than their counterparts in Europe, and that this has resulted in less comprehensive policy reform in our nation.

Transatlantic Policymaking in an Age of Austerity is a must read for anyone interested in domestic or international policymaking. It includes concise yet well-written vignettes of policymaking in action, and challenges the reader to consider thinking outside of the box by comparing policy initiatives in the United States with similar efforts in other nations. The scope of topics is interesting and surprisingly comprehensive—covering a wide range of issues from immigration and environmental policy to public management and pension reform. To this end, the individual authors are to be complemented for their efforts in finding common threads along a wide and frequently divergent field of policymaking initiatives, and for highlighting the global connectivity of policymaking.

There are also several shortcomings associated with this work. First, the authors start with a premise that policy “drift” is necessarily a bad thing. I would point out that the lack of policy action is not necessarily a reflection of “uncertainty about what to do”—but could also be a reflection that society, as a whole, has simply not made up its mind on this issue. Why is that necessarily bad? Under such conditions, prudent policymaking may actually be a positive force—as we would not want to make sweeping changes in an environment where there is not full or widespread consensus on action. In this situation, a middle-of-the-road stance, lukewarm or moderate as it may be, might be better than no action at all.

In addition, the sheer volume and scope of issues included in this book can be seen as a negative. While it is large in scope and controversial in nature, one must caution that the discussion in each chapter is fairly limited. Ideally, each chapter could be a book unto itself. Although the central premise is clearly illustrated through the various chapters, one is left feeling that some of authors are overly pessimistic by stating that policymaking could be better, and that moderate decisions are necessarily negative. At times, the reader may conclude that these authors are working too hard to find similarities between systems that are just fundamentally different. To provide more balance on this issue, the editors might have considered including a vigorous argument on behalf of policymaking that is strong, directed, and innovative in nature.

Overall, however, this is a worthwhile, unique, and intriguing book for the practitioner and theorist alike. It brings a comparative perspective to policymaking and suggests how nations may learn from one another in order to create more effective policy outcomes.