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Policy and Health > Policy Problems: Symbols > Flashcards

Policy Problems: Symbols Flashcards

1
Q

What is a symbol?

A

Anything that stands for something else

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2
Q

How does the meaning of symbols change?

A

Depending on how they’re used and interpretations of them

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3
Q

How can symbols be a policy problem?

A

Symbolism can be used to oversimplify/present an issue ambiguously but sometimes we can get lost in symbolism

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4
Q

How can we identify the authentic nature of a problem without getting lost in symbolism?

A

Through good policy analysis

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5
Q

Why does it matter how we frame a policy problem?

A

It can determine whether the public/decision makers will support our proposal

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6
Q

What are 2 ways symbolism can make the public/decision-makers support our proposals?

A
  1. Emotional Impact
  2. Makes complex topics relatable
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7
Q

What concept of symbolism is a fundamental part of politics/policy-making?

A

Symbolic Representation

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8
Q

What are the 3 subsets of Symbolic representation?

A
  1. Symbolic actions/images
  2. Symbolic objects
  3. Symbolic people
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9
Q

What can be used to strategically present a problem so that it is compelling to the audience?

A

Symbols

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10
Q

What are 3 symbolic devices used in political discussions?

A
  1. Narrative Stories
  2. Synecdoche
  3. Metaphor
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11
Q

What are narrative stories?

A

A story of struggle between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, with conflict and resolution

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12
Q

Define Synecdoche

A

A small part of a policy problem being used to represent the whole

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13
Q

Define Metaphor (in terms of policy)

A

Whenone policy problem is compared to another

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14
Q

Give an example of a policy metaphor?

A

“the war on drugs/terror, etc.”

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15
Q

What is a narrative story of change?

A

Story of decline or rising; how has an issue progressed? Where is society headed?

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16
Q

What is a narrative story of power?

A

Story of helplessness or control; who is responsible for a problem? Who are the victims?

17
Q

What do narrative stories of power assure us?

A

That we can exercise control over a complex problem

18
Q

How do we use synecdoche in policy?

A

By using specific incidents to reflect a larger problem

19
Q

What are horror story synecdoche’s?

A

The usage of one terrible event as grounds for large scale policy change

20
Q

What symbolic device helps to make a problem concrete, relatable, and a manageable size?

A

Synecdoche

21
Q

What do metaphors imply in policy?

A

That A is like B so we should address A by doing what we would to solve B

22
Q

Explain the living organism metaphor?

A

Idea that social institutions have lives of their own and that as a whole they are greater than the sum of its parts

23
Q

Explain the natural laws metaphor

A

Presenting things as natural to justify action/inaction (if an issue is natural, then human interference might be seen as futile/unwarranted)

24
Q

What is an example of the natural laws metaphor?

A

“Life cycle” of a policy or social institution

25
Q

Explain the machinery metaphor

A

story of imbalance where something has to be taken from one and given to another to achieve greater balance

26
Q

Give an example of the machinery metaphor

A

justifying cuts to health care because of a need to balance the budget

27
Q

Explain wedges metaphor

A

Implications that something is the first move towards a larger change with unwanted consequences; a small beginning can have huge leverage

28
Q

Give an example of a wedges metaphor

A

Legalization of cannabis as the first step towards legalization of all drugs

29
Q

Explain the slippery slope metaphor

A

saying that something itself isn’t bad but that we shouldn’t permit it because it might be allowed in the type of circumstances we don’t approve

30
Q

Give an example of the slippery slope metaphor

A

If we allow for medical assistance in dieing for terminally ill patients, others may see it as an alternative solution

31
Q

Explain the disease metaphor

A

Ideas and issues “spread” or “infect”

32
Q

Give an example of the disease metaphor

A

“the opioid crisis is a cancer in our society”

33
Q

How can symbols be ambiguous?

A

they can mean more than one thing at the same time (different things to different people)

34
Q

How can symbol ambiguity be a good thing in policy?

A

it can unite people who would benefit from the same policy for different reasons (& appease “both sides”)

35
Q

How do politicians & stakeholders shape our understanding of particular policy problems via symbolism?

A

by strategically using story & language

Policy and Health (1 decks)

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