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A Year 1 Politics > Intro to Public Policy > Flashcards

Intro to Public Policy Flashcards

1
Q

Define old institutionalism

A

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

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2
Q

When was old institutionalism prevalent

A

Between 1900 and 1950s

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3
Q

Why was old institutionalism replaced by behaviourism

A

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

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4
Q

Define behaviourism

A

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

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5
Q

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

A

March & Olsen

Hall & Taylor

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6
Q

What are the three strains of new institutionalism?

A

Historical, rational choice and normative

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7
Q

Define historical institutionalism

A

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

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8
Q

Define rational choice institutionalism

A

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

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9
Q

Define normative institutionalism

A

Cultural conventions create a certain way of thinking within an institution

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10
Q

What is a critical juncture (and example)

A

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

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11
Q

Example of normative institutionalism

A

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

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12
Q

Define Global Agora

A

The space where policy exists and transfers across state boundaries

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13
Q

Define policy transfer

A

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

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14
Q

Define exogenous policy transfer

A

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

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15
Q

Define endogenous policy transfer

A

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

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16
Q

Smoking Ban Case Study: Epistemic Learning

A

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

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17
Q

Smoking Ban Case Study: Reflexive Learning

A

Education campaigns like Smoke Free in 2007 changed public opinion

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18
Q

Smoking Ban Case Study: Hierarchical Learning

A

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

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19
Q

Define policy inheritance

A

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

20
Q

Define path dependence

A

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

21
Q

Example of path dependence

A

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

22
Q

Define bounded rationality

A

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

23
Q

Define punctuated equilibrium

A

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

24
Q

Punctuated equilibrium example

A

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

25
Q

Define policy termination

A

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

26
Q

Define policy succession

A

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

27
Q

What are the two types of policy termination?

A

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

28
Q

War on Drugs: Initial steps taken and results

A

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

29
Q

Three reasons why War on Drugs WAS NOT terminated

A

Policy characteristics, political environment, constraints

30
Q

War on Drugs: Policy Characteristics

A

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

31
Q

War on Drugs: Political Environment

A

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

32
Q

War on Drugs: Constraints

A

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

33
Q

Define policy implementation

A

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

34
Q

Define core executive intentions

A

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

35
Q

Why are policies not perfectly implemented

A

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

36
Q

What are the two models of policy implementation

A

Top-down and bottom-up

37
Q

Features of top-down implementation

A

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

38
Q

Features of bottom-up implementation

A

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

39
Q

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

A

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

40
Q

Finances of Office of National Drug Control Policy

A

$380 million annual budget

2011 funding increased by $10 million to employ 98 new full-time employees

41
Q

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

A

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”

42
Q

Politicians for marijuana legalisation USA

A

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris

43
Q

Global Agora Thinker

A

Diane Stone

44
Q

Policy Transfer Thinkers (and exogenous)

A

Dolowitz and Marsh

45
Q

Endogenous Policy Transfer Thinker

A

Richard Rose

46
Q

Policy Succession Thinker

A

Brian Hogwood

47
Q

Policy Termination Thinker

A

Garry Brewer

A Year 1 Politics (7 decks)

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