Policy instrumentation with or without policy design

Abstract

This chapter discusses the policy design literature through the lenses of the political sociology of policy instruments and governance with a sceptical view of policy design. It criticizes the functionalist, depoliticized version of policy design, the interest of some promoters of the "new policy design approach", its geographical focus on North America and Asia (particularly under illiberal political regimes) and the lack of empirical research. It develops a critique of the narrower and more functionalist understanding of policy design understood in terms of the rational selection of policy instruments, of finding the right mix of instruments to achieve policy goals, for effective policy making by wise leaders enchanting the role of policy advisers and knowledgeable expert. However, the chapter also identifies good reasons to focus more on policy design, in particular the rise of policy design activities developed by many organisations, as a way to move beyond institutions and interest groups under some circumstances. The choice of policy instruments is sometimes connected to policy design but often disconnected from policy design. We concur with policy design scholar, that activities about the choice of policy instruments may be connected to policy design. But there is more to policy design than the choice of instrument and the choice of instrument is often not connected to policy formulation or policy design. That therefore suggests more research, about the conditions under which the choice of policy instrument is central to policy design.