European Union Public Policy Professor John Wilton Lecture 3 Policy formulation: the policy communities and policy networks models, policy-making uncertainty, expertise and epistemic communities European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 Additional source: Michalowitz, I. (2007) ‘What determines influence? Assessing conditions for decision-making influence of interest groups in the E.U.’, Journal of European Public Policy, 14:1, pp.132-151. European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 1.Policy communities model; 2. 2.Policy networks model. European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE CONTEXT a) The development of the E.U. public policy process is still at a relatively early stage; b) As a result, attempts to develop theoretical models describing that process will not capture ‘whole picture’ – only a few aspects of it. European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 - Models allow us to look at the ‘bigger picture’ (to identify the wider factors influencing policy formulation) - not just the ‘interests’ of individuals and groups BUT also to see the role of: - ideas; - knowledge; - expertise. European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 - Policy communities model and Policy networks model both focus on sets of ‘actors’ (groups and individuals) who are seen as ‘stakeholders’ in the policy process. - These ‘actors’/‘stakeholders’ are influenced in their policy formulation preferences by ‘ideas’, ‘knowledge’ and their ‘private interests’ European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 - E.U. public policy process not a ‘straight-line journey’ - it is a multi-level, multi-arena ‘game’. - lots of processes and factors at work at different institutional and non-institutional levels, and at differing periods in time European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE POLICY COMMUNITIES MODEL -‘community’ = ‘joint ownership of goods, identity of character, fellowship … (of interest) -groups and individuals sharing a common interest – a common policy interest European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE POLICY COMMUNITIES MODEL - Describes long-term and stable relationships (in discussing and developing policy) between groups and institutions in particular policy sectors (i.e. education, health). - These groups and representatives are fairly tightly defined in their interests European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE POLICY COMMUNITIES MODEL -So, it means ‘stakeholders’ in particular policy areas discussing, debating and developing policy arguments and policies relevant to them and their interests -It suggests a more consensual style of policy formulation overall European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE POLICY NETWORKS MODEL -policy networks ‘much more loosely integrated’ than policy communities. -A (public) policy network is a collection/cluster of groups, institutions, individuals that share a common (public) policy area interest; -share a common (public) policy area issue; -share a common knowledge of that issue and (public) policy area - European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 THE POLICY NETWORKS MODEL -Members of policy networks share a common understanding of how knowledge is gained about a (public) policy area -and of how problems are identified in that area and in formulating a policy European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •THE POLICY NETWORKS MODEL -Public policy networks are basically groups of various representative bodies and agencies in particular public and social sectors of society (and can also include individual experts/academics in the particular public policy area) • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •THE POLICY NETWORKS MODEL •For example: a)the education sector • - university representative bodies; • - lecturers’ trade unions and representative bodies; • - student representative bodies; • - teachers’ unions • - parents’ associations (at schools) and representative bodies; • - and increasingly now, employers representative bodies • - education experts • • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •THE POLICY NETWORKS MODEL •For example: •b) the health and social security sectors • - medical associations; • - doctors’ associations and representative bodies; • - hospital management bodies; • - nurses and health workers’ trade unions and representative bodies; • - social services agencies; • - social services workers’ trade unions and representative bodies; • - social security workers’ trade unions and representative bodies; • - health and social security experts and academics • - and increasingly, food company representative bodies, pharmaceutical industry representatives • • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •INTERACTION BETWEEN: • •STRUCTURE AND AGENCY •(Institution (stakeholders groups •- E.U. Commission) in policy networks) European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •-E.U. Commission attempts to ensure that relationship between ‘stakeholders’ groups and agencies in policy networks is based on: •1. recognition of each other as legitimate ‘stakeholders’ in the policy area/issue; • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •2. Recognition between ‘stakeholders’ groups and agencies that collaboration is the best means of gaining mutual advantage and acceptable outcome in policy formulation • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 •3. (ensure) that the ‘stakeholders’ groups and agencies desire negotiated and stable policy environments in preference to continued conflict, instability and uncertainty • European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 Policy networks will have: 1.A variety of inconsistent and ill defined preferences – a loose collection of ideas; 2.(it will have) to operate in extremely complex and complicated E.U. organisational structures; 3.(it will have) ‘fluid’ participants within it (with varied time and effort) European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 Expertise and epistemic communities - a network of professionals with recognised expertise and competence in a particular policy area, who have an authoritative claim to policy-relevant knowledge within that policy area. European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 “members of an epistemic community share intersubjective understandings, have a shared way of knowing, have shared patterns of reasoning, have a policy project drawing on shared values, share causal beliefs, and the use of discursive practices, and have a shared commitment to the application and production of knowledge” (Haas, P. (1992) ‘Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Co-ordination’, in International Organisation, 46/1, p.3.) European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 “members of an epistemic community share intersubjective understandings (common knowledge about policy area), have a shared way of knowing (common sources to gain that knowledge), have shared patterns of reasoning (common forms of analysis), have a policy project drawing on shared values, share causal beliefs (common values and beliefs), and the use of discursive practices (common belief in discussion and debate), and have a shared commitment to the application and production of knowledge (common commitment to investigation and application of information on policy area)” (Haas, P. (1992) ‘Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Co-ordination’, in International Organisation, 46/1, p.3.) European Union Public Policy Lecture 3 Factors contributing to E.U. public policy makers using experts and epistemic communities 1.The dynamics of uncertainty in policy formulation; 2.The need for specialist interpretation of information/knowledge; 3.Institutionalisation of information and knowledge (in E.U. bureaucracy)