9/4/21, 4:08 AM Policy in 500 Words: what is public policy and why does it matter?

nd why does it matter? | Paul Cairney: Politics & Public Policy

Paul Cairney: Politics & Public

Policy
APRIL 28, 2016 · 1:38 PM

Policy in 500 Words: what is public policy and why

does it matter?

The first thing we do when studying public policy is to try to define it – as, for example, the sum
total of government action, from signals of intent to the final outcomes. We then conclude that
there is no single, satisfying, definition of public policy. Instead, there are many which
accentuate different aspects of the policy process, prompting you to consider the additional
questions you have to ask to make sense of policy.

Why do we ask more questions?

Think about how to research a specific policy issue. I’ll use the example ‘what is tobacco policy?’
to illustrate the importance of additional questions:

Does ‘government action’ include what policymakers say they will do as well as what
they actually do? Many governments have made a commitment to tobacco control, but
there is immense variation in substantive commitment across the globe. Since initial
commitment is not a great guide to what happens next, you miss a lot if you equate policy
with initial choices.
Does it include the effects of a decision as well as the decision itself? The history of tobacco
control suggests that policymakers were not sure of the effect of their policy instruments.
We study outcomes because they may not resemble the initial policy aims (however
committed a government is).
What is ‘the government’ and does it include elected and unelected policymakers? Some
actors work with elected policymakers to make policy, and others make key decisions as
they carry policy out. So, we miss a lot if we ignore the role of unelected actors.

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9/4/21, 4:08 AM Policy in 500 Words: what is public policy and why does it matter? | Paul Cairney: Politics & Public Policy

Does public policy include what policymakers do not do? Tobacco control demonstrates
the importance of power exercised to keep important issues off the public, media and
government agenda to slow down policy change. We miss a lot if we only focus on relatively
visible choices.

Why does our definition matter so much?

Our definition helps turn too much information into the most important data. A focus on policy
choices gives you a different answer than a focus on outcomes. You will also struggle to show
that policies caused outcomes (it is easier to demonstrate that a ban on smoking in public places
caused people stop smoking indoors than altogether). Your choice of measures will influence
your conclusions. Also note how normative policy research has to be: you evaluate policy change
partly by assessing how much you think it should have changed under the circumstances.

Why does the question matter so much?

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9/4/21, 4:08 AM Policy in 500 Words: what is public policy and why does it matter? | Paul Cairney: Politics & Public Policy

It matters because, until you study policy in depth, you may equate it with the pronouncements
of elected policymakers. You might assume they are the only people that matter, or that they can
achieve the things they promise. Instead, we use policy theories to highlight policymaking
complexity, the diffusion of power, the involvement of many actors, and the limits to central
government control. We can only hold policymakers to account in a meaningful way if we know
who they are and what they are truly capable of.

Take home message for students: don’t just write about how hard it is to define policy. Instead,
show what definition you are using, explain why, and show awareness that other definitions
are available. Similarly, when you get into policymaking, don’t just say that it is complicated.
Tell people how best to understand it: on what should you focus (and, at least implicitly, what
can you afford to ignore)? This will make your empirical work so much better.

Series: Policy in 500 words

Nadeem Haque
@nadeemhaque

podbean.com/media/share/pb…. @CairneyPaul on
how policy is made and what policy is. Important
subjects to discuss since every one thinks policy is
what you wish for.

What is policy and how is it made? (ENGLISH)

People in Pakistan and many developing
countries seem to think that policy is wishing…
podbean.com

10:55 AM · Sep 14, 2018 from Virginia, USA

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PS Here is the way in which I describe these issues to MPP students writing theory-driven
coursework on policy and policy change (using the case study of UK tobacco policy as a guide):

00:00 00:00

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