Career Options in Public Policy for Family Scientists

Abstract

The policy process presents two competing characteristics that should be of interest to family scientists. First, it is a process which is open to the influence of scientific knowledge. Policymakers often want to be made aware of current research developments. At the same time, the policy process is value-laden and is as likely to be moved along by an emotionally charged opinion as by a rational argument. This article examines this paradox and presents information on how family scientists can meet both demands. The field of public policy is explored as a new career option for family scientists. The discipline of policy science is, like family science, relatively new. Each is still evolving, establishing an identity, and maneuvering for position with more established disciplines. Both disciplines deal with research problems made thorny by the fact that families and public issues seldom can be manipulated experimentally. Even if the research questions asked by family scientists and policy analysts cannot always be subjected to classic experimental designs, they can be subjected to the scientific scrutiny of a welltrained researcher. It is the purpose of this article to explore the exciting possibility of uniting the policy scientist and the family scientist into a single, broadly-trained professional, such as a policy analyst or committee staff person. There will be a brief examination of what public policy is, why it is (or should be) important to family scientists, and why it is an appropriate context for the practice of family science. Practical issues to be addressed include the academic preparation necessary for family science careers in public policy and the importance of retaining the professional identity of a family scientist. The information presented here is intended especially to introduce students, their professors, and young professionals to the career options for family scientists in public policy.