Public Servants Studied in Image and Essay

"This book is a great resource to introduce the field to those who are just thinking of becoming public administrators…The first book of its kind to focus not on managers but on the front-line employees themselves." —Russell W. Mills, Bowling Green State University This latest work by highly regarded scholar of bureaucracy Charles T. Goodsell uses narrative essays and accompanying video profiles to bring to life the work and careers of individuals working for the common good in 12 essential jobs at all three levels of American government. The first book to explicitly encourage undergraduates to consider the public service as a career, Public Servants Studied in Image and Essay offers an on-the-ground look at some of the careers available to them after graduation. It showcases the hard work and dedication of ordinary bureaucrats—rather than administrative leaders—to help students appreciate the nature and achievements of American bureaucracy. The book’s narratives are framed by an introduction and conclusion by Goodsell to provide context and to place them within the research on bureaucracy and public administration.  This book includes Exclusive! Video Interviews

"Dr. Goodsell’s new book will bring to light the invaluable contribution of public administrators’ work (from all levels of government) to the people’s general well-being and the safety of the public at large. Featuring specific governmental work roles and job duties will provide rich contextual descriptions both at the agency and the individual levels of public service. These will bring otherwise faraway and detached perceptions of government work into the focus of concrete professional duties and missions…The book promises to bring students face-to-face with the main dilemmas and challenges permeating their jobs as public servants at the federal, state, and local levels.", "As public scrutiny on agencies and individuals’ work is at an all-time high, it is paramount for the public to gain insight into the wide variety of jobs that are crucial to keeping the American people safe, sometimes even at high personal risk for public personnel. Putting a face and a name to people performing those jobs will help broaden our understanding of the true nature of public service.", "Like having a guest speaker in every class.", "This book is a great resource to introduce the field to those who are just thinking of becoming public administrators…The first book of its kind to focus not on managers but on the front-line employees themselves."

Charles T. Goodsell is a retired Professor Emeritus of Public Administration at the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.  His previous books on public administration are Mission Mystique (2011), The Case for Bureaucracy (1983, 1985, 1994, 2004), Public Administration Illuminated and Inspired by the Arts (co-edited, 1995), The Public Encounter (edited, 1981), and Administration of a Revolution (1965).  Other works include The American Statehouse (2001), The Social Meaning of Civic Space (1988), and American Corporations and Peruvian Politics (1974).  He has lectured and spoken on bureaucracy throughout the United States and in Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Australia, and China. He has published 13 books over a 60-year career and is one of the nation′s best known advocates for American public service. He was a founding faculty member of Virginia Tech′s Center for Public Administration and Policy, and retired in 2002, but continues writing.