Abstract
Public policies are raw resources. They can be put to practical use in ways that offend those who initially created them. Policy research sometimes takes the perspective of the offended without giving due regard to the perspective of the offenders. The conceptual and practical limitations of such an approach are illustrated in this article. The contextual example concerns policy research on the so-called chilling and addiction problems of collective bargaining in the public sector. The general point is simply that what is misuse to some (in the example, overuse) is quite proper to others. Policy researchers, in their eagerness to produce "relevant" studies on policies believed to have gone astray, frequently dismiss or ignore the situationally specific uses to which public policies are put. A social action perspective toward policy science is suggested in this article as a partial counterbalance to such research oversights.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.