Intro to Public Policy

Question 1

Define old institutionalism

Answer 1

The first political science theory of institutions as actors. Focused on how the structure of institutions can alter policy behaviour

Question 2

When was old institutionalism prevalent

Answer 2

Between 1900 and 1950s

Question 3

Why was old institutionalism replaced by behaviourism

Answer 3

It had a limited scope due to the fact it was a descriptive theory

Question 4

Define behaviourism

Answer 4

Focus on the individual. How an individuals’ interests determines behaviour

Question 5

Who re-popularised institutionalism in the 1980s and 1990s

Answer 5

March & Olsen

Hall & Taylor

Question 6

What are the three strains of new institutionalism?

Answer 6

Historical, rational choice and normative

Question 7

Define historical institutionalism

Answer 7

Desire to maintain the status quo is deeply rooted in institutions, making it very difficult to change a policy

Question 8

Define rational choice institutionalism

Answer 8

Preferences and interests of elites are aggregated and controlled by institutions. Leads to small, consensual changes

Question 9

Define normative institutionalism

Answer 9

Cultural conventions create a certain way of thinking within an institution

Question 10

What is a critical juncture (and example)

Answer 10

A radical departure from the status quo. Abortion Act of 1967

Question 11

Example of normative institutionalism

Answer 11

Death of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Met police assumed he was a member of a gang - institutional racism

Question 12

Define Global Agora

Answer 12

The space where policy exists and transfers across state boundaries

Question 13

Define policy transfer

Answer 13

Knowledge about policies from one political system is used in the development of another political system

Question 14

Define exogenous policy transfer

Answer 14

Transfer comes from forces outside of the policy discourse e.g. international groups like World Health Organisation. Policy transfer can be coercive i.e. imposed upon a state

Question 15

Define endogenous policy transfer

Answer 15

Transfer comes from within the policy discourse e.g. copying a policy from another state. Ireland copying Nordic Model for sex workers

Question 16

Smoking Ban Case Study: Epistemic Learning

Answer 16

WHO created international frameworks on tobacco control in early 2000s. Gave policies scientific legitimacy

Question 17

Smoking Ban Case Study: Reflexive Learning

Answer 17

Education campaigns like Smoke Free in 2007 changed public opinion

Question 18

Smoking Ban Case Study: Hierarchical Learning

Answer 18

Coercion by UN, WHO and EU led to many countries changing smoking laws
2014 EU Tobacco Products Directive latest in a line of regulations

Question 19

Define policy inheritance

Answer 19

Policy programmes are the institutionalised results of others’ choices from previous governments

Question 20

Define path dependence

Answer 20

Idea that policies change incrementally over time along a predictable course due to inherent institutional structures

Question 21

Example of path dependence

Answer 21

British NHS, which has barely changed since its 1948 creation. Incremental reforms in 1974 (regionalisation), 1991 (internal market) and 2012 Health and Social Care Act

Question 22

Define bounded rationality

Answer 22

Ministers cannot consider all problems and solutions at one time, so must focus on a niche of important issues

Question 23

Define punctuated equilibrium

Answer 23

Short, unstable period of radical policymaking change after a long period of status quo

Question 24

Punctuated equilibrium example

Answer 24

Long history of non-federal intervention in crime policy changed by Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 1968. Federal spending on crime doubled over next four years

Question 25

Define policy termination

Answer 25

The adjustment or removal of policies that have become outdated or dsyfunctional

Question 26

Define policy succession

Answer 26

Creating a new policy to replace an old one, whilst retaining many core elements of the original policy

Question 27

What are the two types of policy termination?

Answer 27

Functional: ceasing of all political activities Structural: termination of institutional arrangements

Question 28

War on Drugs: Initial steps taken and results

Answer 28

1986 and 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Acts 2000 Andean Counter-drug Initiative No marked fall in deaths 2017 pure cocaine price 100% cheaper than 1990

Question 29

Three reasons why War on Drugs WAS NOT terminated

Answer 29

Policy characteristics, political environment, constraints

Question 30

War on Drugs: Policy Characteristics

Answer 30

73% of US citizens saw drugs as 'serious problem' in 2007 Blanket ban less confusing than policy alternatives Anti-drugs task forces created more law enforcement jobs 271 task forces in New York state alone in 2016

Question 31

War on Drugs: Political Environment

Answer 31

Drug groups had no powerful political allies (candidates saw affiliation as unnecessary election risk) Slow termination process in Congress HOWEVER Drug Policy Alliance has 75,000+ subscribers and more politicians pro-legalisation

Question 32

War on Drugs: Constraints

Answer 32

Office of National Drug Control Policy legally prohibited from considering legalisation or decriminalisation Fears black market will undercut regulated market Fear of social changes

Question 33

Define policy implementation

Answer 33

Process of putting a policy in motion. Active part of policymaking process. Policy is made as it is being administered (Anderson)

Question 34

Define core executive intentions

Answer 34

Idea of how a policy will look once implemented from the perspective of the original legislators (usually government ministers)

Question 35

Why are policies not perfectly implemented

Answer 35

Poor communication between different agencies and actors Limited resources Too many objectives Unwillingness to adhere to policy by Street level bureaucrats e.g. rural police and fox hunting ban

Question 36

What are the two models of policy implementation

Answer 36

Top-down and bottom-up

Question 37

Features of top-down implementation

Answer 37

Devised by Pressman and Wildavsky Idea that only those who make a policy can implement it properly Based on principle that elected decision-makers must keep promises CRITICISM: decision-makers do not have means to implement and can be dogmatic

Question 38

Features of bottom-up implementation

Answer 38

Devised by Lipsky Idea that only street level bureaucrats understand the needs of their community, so they must shape policy as they implement CRITICISM: undemocratic, policy not uniformly implemented

Question 39

Bottom-up Case Study: Police and reporting of sexual offences

Answer 39

26% of reported sexual offence cases 'no crimed' by police Large regional variation Systemic 'myth' culture of rape cases in male-dominated police and unwillingness to act on reports

Question 40

Finances of Office of National Drug Control Policy

Answer 40

$380 million annual budget | 2011 funding increased by $10 million to employ 98 new full-time employees

Question 41

What act prevents the Office of National Drug Control Policy from legalising?

Answer 41

Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998 Says: "no federal funds" can be used "relating to the legalization of a substance listed in... the Controlled Substances Act"

Question 42

Politicians for marijuana legalisation USA

Answer 42

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris

Question 43

Global Agora Thinker

Answer 43

Diane Stone

Question 44

Policy Transfer Thinkers (and exogenous)

Answer 44

Dolowitz and Marsh

Question 45

Endogenous Policy Transfer Thinker

Answer 45

Richard Rose

Question 46

Policy Succession Thinker

Answer 46

Brian Hogwood

Question 47

Policy Termination Thinker

Answer 47

Garry Brewer