The Politics of Evidence-Based Policy Making

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

   PDF

2. The Science of Policymaking

   • Paul Cairney

   Pages 1-12

3. The Role of Evidence in Theories of the Policy Process

   • Paul Cairney

   Pages 13-50

4. Health and Advocacy: What Are the Barriers to the Use of Evidence in Policy?

   • Paul Cairney

   Pages 51-84

5. Evidence in Environmental Policy: Learning Lessons from Health?

   • Paul Cairney

   Pages 85-118

6. Conclusion: How to Respond to the Limits of EBPM

   • Paul Cairney

   Pages 119-133

7. Back Matter

   Pages 135-137

   PDF

The Politics of Evidence Based Policymaking identifies how to work with policymakers to maximize the use of scientific evidence. Policymakers cannot consider all evidence relevant to policy problems. They use two shortcuts: ‘rational’ ways to gather enough evidence, and ‘irrational’ decision-making, drawing on emotions, beliefs, and habits. Most scientific studies focus on the former. They identify uncertainty when policymakers have incomplete evidence, and try to solve it by improving the supply of information. They do not respond to ambiguity, or the potential for policymakers to understand problems in very different ways. A good strategy requires advocates to be persuasive: forming coalitions with like-minded actors, and accompanying evidence with simple stories to exploit the emotional or ideological biases of policymakers. 

• Public policy
• Evidence-based policy making
• Complexity theory
• Bounded rationality
• Knowledge

“Paul Cairney’s book is timely, given recent lamentations about the ‘post-factual’ era, and fears that despite trends for ‘evidence-based policies’ on ‘what works’, policymakers seem to base decisions on anything but science. … Thoroughly referenced throughout, this book will prove instructive for social researchers hoping to influence policymaking, as well as for social policy and social research students.” (Berni Graham, SRA Research Matters, March, 2017)

“Cairney carefully and deliberately dispels many EBPM myths. He notes a series of problems which challenge a 'pure' form of EBPM. … This book is handy for those trying to influence EBPM as it lays out strategies and analytical frameworks to understand the policy making process.” (Nicola Searle, The IPKat, ipkitten.blogspot.de, May, 2016)

• University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom

  Paul Cairney

Paul Cairney is Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of Stirling.  His research interests are in comparative public policy, including: comparisons of policy theories (Understanding Public Policy, 2012); outcomes in different countries (Global Tobacco Control, 2012), and UK and devolved policymaking (Scottish Politics, 2013).

    

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