The importance of policy narrative: effective government responses to Covid-19

Abstract

The spread of Covid-19 and the variety of government responses opens space for policy learning. Traditional policy analysis tools would lead us to explain policy variation using population size, ease of closing jurisdictional borders, governance arrangements, available resources, and system capacity. Following the approach of the Narrative Policy Framework, we suggest narrative has played a key role in the relative effectiveness of responses to Covid-19. We illustrate the dynamics at play using evidence from the state level in the United States, where there has been considerable variation in policy actions and rates of infection and death. After reviewing the national context, we explain our selection of cases. We note differences in state-level policy narratives and how they influenced policy development and implementation. The findings provide compelling reason for policy designers everywhere to routinely integrate narrative development and control into their advising practices.