BRIDGES BETWEEN SCIENCE AND POLICYMAKING IN BELGIUM: NONLINEAR AND UNPREDICTABLE CONNECTIONS

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BRIDGES BETWEEN SCIENCE AND POLICY-MAKING IN
BELGIUM NON-LINEAR AND UNPREDICTABLE
CONNECTIONS

• Marleen Brans Valérie Pattyn
• (marleen.brans_at_soc.kuleuven.be)
• (valerie.pattyn_at_soc.kuleuven.be)

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Contents

• 1. Assumptions
• 2. Case studies
• 3. Challenges for better knowledge utilization

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1. Assumptions

• 1.1. Research competes with other kinds of data
  and analysis
• 1.2. Knowledge utilization is a dynamic process
• 1.3. Knowledge utilization is not the prerogative
  of public policy makers

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Policy Inquiry (Lindquist 1990)
Publication activities

memos briefings reports articles papers mono
grafies books
Information-generation activities

Analysis
Data
Convocation activities
Research
workshops seminars symposia conferences brief
ings speeches
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1.1. Research competes with other kinds of
information

• Research produces a type of evidence in a policy
  inquiry research competes with other types of
  information such as data and analysis
• Distinction between content of information and
  form of information
• Dissemination is crucial, convocation activities
  can make all the difference

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1.2 KU is a dynamic process

• Use or non-use in different phases of
  policy-cycle
• Dynamics may be different for different phases
  and functions in the policy cycle

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Social and policy relevant functions of knowledge
(Liberatore 2000)
Empowerment
Early warning
Delaying decisions
Goal setting
Problem definition
Clarification of conflicts and interests
Legitimation
Formulating policy options
Implementation assessment
Policy Evaluation
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1.3. Knowledge utilization is not the prerogative
of public policy makers

• Multi-actor model on the use of knowledge

Community of Policy makers
Third community
Community of Researchers
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2. Case studies

• UNESCO DWTC
• Research in 22 countries
• ULg, ULB, KUL (Tinne Van der Straeten, Dirk
  Jacobs, Marleen Brans, Marc Swyngedouw)
• Two case studies
• Research immigrants - education
• Research labour market participation of
  immigrants

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Case study 1 Research and policyimmigrant
children and education

• Policy formulation
• Onderwijsvoorrangsbeleid and target group
  setting
• Big impact of research early 90 adoption and
  application
• Policy reversal against research findings 2000
• Policy evaluation
• Many evaluation studies adoption and
  application
• Often behind closed doors with many uses
• Implementation support
• Lots of instrumental use
• Didactical instruments and formation of teachers
  (bicultural education)
• Research pillars as special interfaces
• Facilitates application
• Facilitates interaction
• Non linear

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Case 1 Conclusions (1)

• Lots of research
• Fruitful links between research and policy
• Signalling problems
• Policy support
• Praktical advice
• Evaluation
• Interaction mainly between two communities
• Linear use for instruments and legitimation
• Instrumental use
• Legitimation

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Case 1 Conclusions (2)

• Non-linear use for enlightenment
• Research broker, hybrid researcher policy-maker
• Research pillar
• Facilitates trust, perception of usefulness
• Survival change of legislature is not guaranteed
• Policy reversal with insulation from academic
  input
• Rather closed policy inquiry
• Third community not involved, privileged access
  to evaluation limited to policy-makers

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Case 2 Research and policyImmigrants and labour
market participation

• ILO research
• Launch with research brokerage
• Third party Centre for Equality of Opportunities
  and Opposition to Racism
• Advocacy coalition
• Dissemination
• Convocation activities third party all
  policy-makers implicated, incl. employers
• Press attention
• Use of research
• Problem definition, framing problem demand side
  versus supply side
• Positive acition
• Booster for other research with same evidence

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Case 2 Research and policy conclusions

• Nature of research
• Methodological quality
• Concise presentation of results
• Clear directions for action
• Nature of dissemination
• Convocation activities third actor
• Press
• Use of research
• Agendasetting, direct impact on identification,
  size and cause of problem
• Indirect impact on policy formation by providing
• ?Booster for creating access for previous
  research
• Role of third actor
• Advocate, broker, disseminator
• Importance of policy advocate when focusssing
  events absent

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3. Challenges for better knowledge utilization

• Research and expertise are no supermarket
• Policy decisions are not singular but the outcome
  of a process
• Dialogue research and policy-making requires
  investments in longlasting interactions
• Research pillars allow for both linear
  instrumental use and enlightenment in the longer
  run
• Allow for third actor debate, but accept less
  predictables results
• Invest in dissemination of different published
  products and multiple convocation activities