The Effects of Punctuation Events on the Oil Policy Network: A Network Analysis of Rulemaking Outputs

Abstract

In this dissertation, I display the effect of punctuating events on the oil policy subsystem and network and, in turn, on the rulemaking process. Here I examine whether, and to what extent, the changes in the dynamics of the policy network and the composition of the subsystem caused by the punctuation could alter rulemaking outputs and whether these changes occur simultaneously or sequentially across the policy subsystem and network. Building upon Punctuation-Equilibrium Theory (PET), Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), and the Policy Network Approach (PNA) alongside the political control literature, I provide explanations for the routines and outputs of rulemaking. Accordingly, I analyze changes in the set of oil and gas related administrative rules that are proposed and/or finalized during the period of 1996-2016. I then link these changes with the fluctuations in interactions occurring in the oil subsystem and network. For this purpose, I apply both Social Network analysis (SNA) and the exponential-family random graph models (ERGM) for statistical inferences.