Book reviews
Book reviews are a very valuable contribution to the academic publishing system. For younger and experienced academics, it is good training in slow and reflective reading, thinking and writing critically and constructively. Equally, people working in administrations and governments may have much to contribute.
Gestión y Análisis de Políticas Públicas accepts spontaneous reviews in English or Spanish and also commissions reviews. The author can either send the review directly or contact the editor to ensure that the reviewed book is of interest to the journal. All reviews go through an evaluation process which is usually much quicker than for articles.
What should a book review contain?
Book reviews are short texts (between 1000 and 2000 words) that critically discuss a recent book published in the field of public policy, management or public administration.
Like all other academic genres, book reviews have a typical structure. They ideally devote one paragraph to each of the following aspects:
- Describe the subject matter of the book. If possible, use a hook that will attract your reader.
- Give a biography of the author. Say who he/she is and what he/she is known for. What qualifications and experience they bring to the subject. Where does this work fit into his or her career?
- Summarise the general argument of the book concisely.
- Indicate what methodology it uses and what kind of data, time period or geographical scope it covers.
- Summarise how the book is organised: how many parts or chapters it has.
- Explain very briefly what is the content of some of the parts or chapters, those that seem to you to be of special interest,
- Include the strengths you think the book has, what is new or what gap it fills in the subject matter, perhaps another way of studying something already studied, perhaps something new.
- Discuss any weaknesses that could be improved, what else this book should have covered, what approach it has missed, whether it is comprehensible or not.
- Say who this book is aimed at or who could benefit from it: undergraduate or postgraduate students? academics? from which disciplines? practitioners? general public?
End your review with a concluding statement summarising your opinion of the book.
