Public Policy Outcomes Research Articles

A Comparison of the Efficacy of Fuzzy Overlay and Random Forest Classification for Mapping and Shaping Perceptions of the Post-Mining Landscape of Gauteng, South Africa

Post-mining landscapes are multifaceted, comprising multiple characteristics, more so in big metropolitan regions such as Gauteng, South Africa. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Fuzzy overlay and Random Forest classification for integrating and representing post-mining landscapes and how this influences the perception of these landscapes. To this end, this paper uses GISs, MCDA, Fuzzy overlay, and Random Forest classification models to integrate post-mining landscape characteristics derived from the literature. It assesses the results using an accuracy assessment, area statistics, and correlation analysis. The findings from this study indicate that both Fuzzy overlay and Random Forest classification are applicable for integrating multiple landscape characteristics at varying degrees. The resultant maps show some similarity in highlighting mine waste cutting across the province. However, the Fuzzy overlay map has higher accuracy and extends over a larger footprint owing to the model’s use of a range of 0 to 1. This shows both areas of low and high memberships, as well as partial membership as intermediate values. This model also demonstrates strong relationships with regions characterised by landscape transformation and waste and weak relationships with areas of economic decline and inaccessibility. In contrast, the Random Forrest classification model, though also useful for classification purposes, presents a lower accuracy score and smaller footprint. Moreover, it uses discrete values and does not highlight some areas of interaction between landscape characteristics. The Fuzzy overlay model was found to be more favourable for integrating post-mining landscape characteristics in this study as it captures the nuances in the composition of this landscape. These findings highlight the importance of mapping methods such as Fuzzy overlay for an integrated representation and shaping the perception and understanding of the locality and extent of complex landscapes such as post-mining landscapes. Methods such as Fuzzy overlay can support research, planning, and decision-making by providing a nuanced representation of how multiple landscape characteristics are integrated and interact in space and how this influences public perception and policy outcomes.

Translating Law and Code in Government: Algorithmic Decisions and Their Legal Effects in Canada

This article analyzes the translation of law into computer code and the use of automated decision-making systems in government to make legal distinctions. Specifically, how are algorithmic decisions tied to law, and what happens when legal effects are mediated through technologies? The sociology of translation and Bruno Latour's theory of law, as elaborated by Kyle McGee, provides the means to study associations between law and technology. I trace how the force of law can be extended when mediated through computer systems and analyze the associations of law and technology in Canada's government, through projects exemplifying the shift to “code-driven law.” These include the translation of “rules-as-code,” and several of the sociotechnical systems governing Canada's borders, demonstrating how design choices in government digital services inevitably shape the outcomes of public policy and can have legal effects. While Latour's legal scholarship avoided traditional questions of legitimacy, a key consideration for automated government systems is how legitimacy is constructed and contested. For rules-as-code, legitimate algorithmic outcomes should be traceable to law, but existing government systems commonly maintain legitimacy by identifying a human actor “in-the-loop” as the ultimate decision-maker, thereby obscuring how thoroughly imbricated human and algorithmic agency are in contemporary governance.

Voter attitudes and politicians with health conditions and disabilities

AbstractBackgroundMillions of Americans live with chronic health conditions and disabilities. While disability and disabling conditions are common in the United States, the number of politicians and candidates with disclosed disabilities or chronic health conditions remains extremely low.ObjectivesThis study examines what drives the lack of descriptive representation of individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions. In particular, it examines whether disability bias, or more specifically ableism, drives voter bias against politicians with health challenges and disabilities.MethodsThe analysis relies on two original surveys with samples of American respondents that match Census quotas on key indicators. The first survey was administered to more than 1800 U.S. respondents in 2018. The second survey was administered to 6345 U.S. respondents in 2020. The approach combines observational and experimental data, as well as quantitative and qualitative analysis.ResultsThe findings reveal that voters are significantly less likely to support candidates with disclosed disabilities or health conditions. Mental illness and HIV face the strongest discrimination, while physical challenges due to birth conditions like wheelchair usage and dwarfism are the least penalized. A combination of prejudice, negative character assessment, and electability concerns drive voter bias.ConclusionUnderstanding the barriers to the election of politicians with disabilities and chronic health conditions is crucial to improve the representation of marginalized communities, as descriptive representation improves public policy outcomes for marginalized communities.

Governmental Capabilities and Responsiveness: Global Investigations into CO2 Emissions and Decarbonization. The Ultimate Super Wicked Problem!

ABSTRACT We consider how the governmental and political contexts of societies affect the delivery of decarbonization agendas. Data on government effectiveness and political stability (capability) and voice and accountability (responsiveness) are related to emission levels in high and middle/low-income countries. The analysis implied that greater government effectiveness initially decreased, but then increased emissions. Alternatively, improvements in political stability had no effect in high-income countries, but lowered emissions elsewhere. Increasing voice and accountability had no effect on the emissions of high-income countries, but raised then (at higher levels) lowered emissions in middle and low-income countries. Findings are used to develop a scholarly understanding of the effects on complex public policy outcomes.

Digital Financial Capability Scale

Financial digitization is an irreversible phenomenon. The objective of this study is to construct the Digital Financial Capability Scale (DFCS). Starting with the development of a definition, we created a multidimensional scale composed of digital financial knowledge, digital financial behavior, and digital financial confidence. The validation process involved a qualitative stage, consisting of focus groups, expert validation, and pre-testing, and a quantitative stage, with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling. The DFCS assesses an individual’s perception of their ability to apply financial knowledge, adopt appropriate financial behaviors, and feel confident in making financial decisions in a digital environment. The final version of the DFCS consists of a set of 33 items divided into the three dimensions. The scale can be very useful for researchers who wish to study financial capability in the digital environment, for financial agents to evaluate clients, and for assessing the outcomes of public policies aimed at enhancing the financial capability of the population.

State Contexts for a Public Health Emergency: The Divergence of Politics and Administration in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

Amid the array of challenges prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the policy response of governments proved vital. Different states in the U.S. pursued varied policy approaches that demonstrated distinct divergences in impact. Particularly, contrasting state contexts produced markedly assorted frameworks for the delivery of public health services, which indicate potential effects for COVID-19 policy implementation. Using the rates of COVID-19 vaccination as a measure of policy execution, the purpose of this study is to examine the political and administrative influences contributing to differences in COVID-19 public health policy outcomes among the states in the U.S. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models included data sources of nationally representative information pertaining to state public health attributes of politics and administration during the height of the pandemic and vaccine campaign. The findings suggest that state political leadership and fiscal capacity display significant associations with COVID-19 vaccination disparities, while other administrative indicators did not. The results signal important policy implications for the politics–administration dynamic within the COVID-19 pandemic and offer further understanding toward the roles of federalism and governance in future public health emergencies.

Mapping four decades of housing inequality research: Trends, insights, knowledge gaps, and research directions

Housing inequality is a pressing issue that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. This study aims to determine trends, generate insights, and identify knowledge gaps in housing inequality research by systematically mapping and analysing the academic literature. As for the systematic literature review method, the PRISMA approach is employed to review literature published during the last four decades. The review is enriched with bibliometric analytics—e.g., research trends; influential publications, co-occurrence network of terms, geographical distribution—and content analysis techniques to provide future research directions. The analysis revealed four main research themes, comprising housing discrimination, housing market and urbanisation, the relationship of housing inequality with health and education, and housing inequalities among the young adult population. The majority of these studies centred their research on China. The findings in the following areas consolidate the understanding of housing inequality: (a) Housing inequality as a product of housing market dynamics; (b) Housing inequality as a condition affecting different segments of the population disparately; (c) Housing inequality as a socio-cultural concept; (d) Housing inequality as an outcome of public policy. This study advocates for multifaceted policy interventions, and the findings, which contribute to achieving relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), provide insights for urban and housing policymakers and urban planners in addressing housing inequality problems.

Public Opinion and the Energy Transition in East Asia: The Case of Taiwan

Previous research in Western nations has established a clear connection between pro-environmental public opinion and clean energy transition policies aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13. However, little is known about this relationship in East Asia, the most important region of the world in terms of carbon emissions. Using the International Social Survey Program and Taiwan Social Change Survey results from 2010 and 2020, this study examines public opinion in Taiwan on environmental issues, comparing it with opinion in a group of 18 OECD countries. Results show high but stable support for the environment and the energy transition in Taiwan over this period, with no indications of climate denial. However, willingness to make sacrifices for the environment is sharply lower among the lower half of the income distribution, highlighting existing socioeconomic disparities and inequality. Further, political engagement around environmental issues remains relatively low in Taiwan compared to engagement in the OECD comparison group. This disjunction suggests a unique model of public opinion and policy outcomes in Taiwan, which is clearly distinct from patterns in the West. Comprehending this model is vital, considering East Asia’s necessary role in a global clean energy transition.

Out-Of-State Donors and Legislative Surrogacy in the U.S. Senate

Studies show that the extraordinary growth in campaign expenditures is fueled by a small, elite subset of the donor population that gives generously to candidates across the country. It is often assumed that the wealthy influence policy outcomes through such gifts to politicians; however, the representational benefits of giving to politicians out-of-state are unclear. What do donors gain legislatively when they give to legislators living out-of-state? I study the campaign financing of US senators over three decades (1989–2018) and find that senators receive the most money from out-of-state donors when they face reelection and risk losing. In this context, donors invest in the collective benefits of party representation when they give money to out-of-state senators. However, when giving to senators “off cycle,” out-of-state donors behave as “consumers” who reward senators for the positions they have taken. Each bill sponsored by a senator when they are not up for reelection leads to a corresponding increase of about 1% in receipts from out-of-state donors. These results offer a more complete view of the legislative surrogacy that the wealthy receive when they give to politicians out-of-state and suggest possible links between campaign contributions and public policy outcomes.

Perceived burdens of interacting with public authorities: How does it influence citizens' state‐encounter behavior?

AbstractMuch research has shown that implementation behavior of frontline workers and the outcomes of public policies depend on encounters between frontline workers and citizens. However, relatively little is known about the agency of citizens in these encounters. This paper focuses on administrative burdens and psychological responses to stress as possible determinants of citizens' encounter behavior—defined as “behavioral efforts citizens employ during and in preparing for interaction with public authorities in order to master the demands of the public encounter.” Combining a framework categorizing citizens' state‐encounter behavior and theory about administrative burdens, we ask whether citizens' behavior reflects their perceptions of administrative burdens, and whether learning, psychological and compliance burdens prompt different encounter behaviors? We use data from surveys among a representative sample of 1460 Danish citizens regarding encounters with tax and home care authorities. We find that perceived administrative burdens affect citizens' behavior, but contrary to expectations, we do not find that burdens discourage citizens from engaging with authorities. Higher perceived burdens tend to prompt activist behavior. Moreover, different types of burdens affect behaviors differently.

Policy implementation and outcome evaluation: establishing a framework and expanding capacity for advocacy organizations to assess the impact of their work in public policy

Advocacy organizations can play a crucial role in evaluating whether legislation or regulation has had its intended effect by supporting robust public policy implementation and outcome evaluation. The American Heart Association, working with expert advisors, has developed a framework for effective evaluation that can be used by advocacy organizations, in partnership with researchers, public health agencies, funders, and policy makers to assess the health and equity impact of legislation and regulation over time. Advocacy organizations can use parts of this framework to evaluate the impact of policies relevant to their own advocacy and public policy efforts and inform policy development and guide their organizational resource allocation. Ultimately, working in partnership, advocacy organizations can help bring capacity, commitment and funding to this important implementation and outcome evaluation work that informs impactful public policy for equitable population health and well-being.

The complex interplay of causal narratives in public policy and political discourse

The study builds on Deborah Stone’s foundational work exploring the mechanics of causal narratives and their implications for framing problems, assigning responsibility, and guiding policy solutions. The purpose of this research is to unravel the complexities of causal narratives in contemporary politics and understand their profound influence on public policy and society at large. In the digital age, where information is abundant and the traditional gatekeeping role of media has diminished, causal narratives have become increasingly multifaceted. The study aims to explore how these narratives, influenced by the intersections of natural phenomena, human actions, politics, risk, and media, shape public understanding and policy directions. The study employs an extensive review of existing literature, covering works from political science, media studies, and public policy. This includes analyzing seminal texts like Deborah Stone’s “Policy Paradox” and recent studies on media’s evolving role in political discourse. Today’s causal narratives are multifaceted, influenced by a myriad of factors including political agendas, scientific findings, and media portrayals. In conclusion, the research highlights the dynamic nature of causal narratives in the digital age and their significant impact on public policy and societal outcomes. It underscores the need for nuanced understanding and strategic approaches in crafting and interpreting these narratives.

Media and public policy advocacy in India

The intricate relationship between media and public policy advocacy in India presents a complex terrain marked by both opportunities and challenges. As media assumes a central role in shaping public discourse and influencing policy outcomes, the dynamics of this symbiotic relationship raise critical questions and concerns that necessitate careful examination. The problem lies in the potential for bias, sensationalism, and manipulation within the media landscape, which can skew the public narrative and compromise the integrity of the policy-making process. The traditional media, comprising newspapers, television, and radio, faces challenges in maintaining objectivity, often succumbing to commercial pressures or political influences. This raises questions about the reliability of information disseminated to the public and the impact on the formulation and implementation of public policies. Furthermore, the advent of digital media, with its rapid proliferation and influence, introduces a new set of challenges. The dynamics of social media platforms, in particular, have the potential to amplify certain voices while marginalizing others, leading to the creation of echo chambers, and polarized public opinions. The democratization of information through digital platforms also raises concerns about misinformation, fake news, and the unchecked spread of unverified content, further complicating the relationship between media and public policy advocacy. In light of these challenges, there is a pressing need to critically evaluate the role of media in public policy advocacy in India. This study aims at selecting and analyzing specific case studies that highlight instances where media has played a significant role in shaping public policy outcomes.

Eğitim Yönetimi Süreç Odaklamasında Kamu Politikası Modelleri

The outcomes of public policy in education management process focusing are the concrete changes that occur after the implementation of the decisions taken regarding public policies and the services produced. The results of public policy and the outcomes of educational management process focusing are different from each other. When public policy consequences are mentioned, they mean the consequences that arise from the fact that the public administration chooses to implement or not, and that are intended or not intended for society. Policy demands in educational management process focusing are the demands or requests of other civil or official persons or groups within the political system and in public administration, decision makers who create public policy, when a problem or need arises in society. Individuals, groups and other non-governmental organizations that make up society in democratic countries exert influence on decision-makers in terms of public policy. Education management are decisions made by public officials related to the formulation and implementation of public policy, especially in process focusing, to direct public policy activities and regulate their content. These may be wide-ranging decisions that concern the whole of the country, or they may also be narrower-ranging decisions that concern a certain segment of society. Analysts and policy makers use different models for public policy in education management process focusing. Some researchers state that the use of models often simplifies policy making, suggesting that models are simplified representations of the real world and are used to organize and interpret situations and help predict and explain the consequences of specific options. Some other researchers state that policy models should be considered as indispensable elements in conceptualizing, understanding and clearly establishing the framework of elements related to public policy. Key Words: Education Management, Public Policy, Public Policy Models

Reparative public policy

ABSTRACT This paper aims to map out a framework for thinking critically about race and coloniality in policymaking, through utilizing what I am calling a reparative public policy procedural approach. Demands for reparations have long aimed to address racialized inequalities set up through slavery, genocide and colonialism. Yet while being sort as an outcome of public policy by those impacted by colonization, slavery and genocide, reparations can also inform the process of policy making in liberal democracies. Through drawing on insights from the literature on reparations, I seek to illuminate the way coloniality and racism are written into aspects of liberal democratic policymaking, but also how a reparatiive approach to public policy making can help policy makers in liberal democracies find ways to challenge and transform such practice. This is what I am calling a reparative public policy approach – a framework for policymakers that draws attention to a presumed neutrality of policy-making processes which are maintained through methodological nationalism, deployment of liberal time, accumulation through dehumanization and racialization, and the universalism of liberal democratic governance.

The Free Economic Zone of Manaus Vis-à-Vis the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the evolution of sustainability indicators within the Free Economic Zone of Manaus (Zona Franca de Manaus - ZFM), with a specific focus on workforce engagement in the manufacturing sector. Method/design/approach: Employing descriptive research methods, this research equips both public and private organizations with evaluation tools to assess industrial employment's quality in the context of sustainable development. The study emphasizes the importance of monitoring sustainable development indicators at various geographical levels to facilitate effective corrective strategies. Results and conclusion: The public policies adopted in the ZFM, although generating economic growth, had adverse effects on other social indicators such as quality of life, urban sprawl, and population explosion. These outcomes indicate a misalignment with the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. Notably, these misalignments are evident in the declining number of manufacturing plant employees, persistent gender-based wage disparities, a rise in workers in lower income brackets, and subsequently, a limited potential for local consumption. Research implications: The ZFM exemplifies the vital role of public policy in driving development. While innovation in the ZFM is still at an early stage, there exists potential for linking economic innovation to improvements in quality of life and sustainable natural resource management. Originality/value: This analysis focuses on sustainability indicators to assess regional development, highlighting the significance of Sustainable Development Goals in evaluating the quality of development and monitoring the outcomes of public policy within the unique context of the ZFM.

Young vs. Old Population: Does Urban Environment of Skyscrapers Create Different Obesity Prevalence?

This study investigates the impact of more densely populated urban environments proxied by the number of skyscrapers on the obesity prevalence among young vs. old populations at a US statewide level. Obesity is a global pandemic, as well as a major risk factor for a long series of health problems and increased mortality rates. We employ a quadratic model, which relaxes the a priori assumption of the monotonic rise or drop in obesity prevalence with the number of skyscrapers. The outcomes demonstrated a U-shaped curve and a sharper decrease (increase) in the projected obesity prevalence with the number of skyscrapers in the range of 0–147 (147–270) skyscrapers for the old population age cohorts above 65 years old. One possible explanation is the different motivation for physical activity among dissimilar age cohorts. While younger people are focused on maintaining a slim body shape, older people identify with the importance of sports. The public policy outcome of our study is the need to implement different recommendations in dissimilar urban environments based on age cohort stratification. Given that skyscrapers are the manifestation of wealth economics and present the typical characteristics of modern cities, which, in turn, are the future of economic development and productivity, these recommendations might prove to be important.

Deconstructing the Civic Engagement Context, Processes, and Outcomes in Nigeria

Civic engagement processes in the country have been constrained, thereby, resulting in poor public participation in governance and public policy processes. This is in contrast to well-functioning democracies where governments and citizens are required to work together to address issues of public concern. Through this process, the citizens influence public policy outcomes and determine the political choices that impact on their lives and wellbeing. This paper interrogates the civic engagement context and processes in the public sector, in the past decade (2012-2022). This is as a result of the backdrop of unprecedented low level of public participation in the political and governance processes during the period. The qualitative methodology is employed in the paper with focus on content and descriptive analysis. The paper adopted the Theory of Participatory democracy as the theoretical framework. The paper argued that this scenario has resulted in citizen’s exclusion from the policy process with attendant negative consequences on governance outcomes. The paper recommended expanding the engagement space through political reforms and good governance practices to ensure citizen’s participation in the political and governance processes, especially, at the grassroots level

Public Policy and Health Outcomes: Impact of Health Expenditure on Life Expectancy and Child Mortality

Public Policy and Health Outcomes: Impact of Health Expenditure on Life Expectancy and Child Mortality

Critical Tiriti Analysis: A prospective policy making tool from Aotearoa New Zealand

Restrictions on Indigenous peoples’ contributions to policymaking pervade post-settler societies like Australia, Canada and Aotearoa. Such effects are observed in spite of agreements like Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa and the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Te Tiriti, negotiated between the British Crown and Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa), may have been entered into honourably by both parties, but the Crown has consistently resisted its implementation. Contemporary colonialism is characterised by the entrenched and on-going displacement of Indigenous people’s authority by settler states, rationalised by race as a determinant of human worth. Impacts include land alienation, unsustainable resource exploitation and marginalising Indigenous voices from opportunities to make policy consistent with Indigenous values and preferred ways of living. Colonialism normalises institutional racism so that public policy outcomes are persistently unjust. This article describes Critical Tiriti Analysis (CTA), an original contribution to transforming colonial policy, which retrospectively evaluates whether any specific policy document is consistent with Te Tiriti. Substantial interest in CTA from policymakers, practitioners, and scholars led to the development of the tool as a prospective guide to making policy that is consistent with authoritative interpretations of Te Tiriti, and therefore, more likely effective in producing public policies which eliminate inequities. CTA was initially focused on health policy and built on a series of questions that arise from our interpretations of the text of Te Tiriti, contemporary Tiriti scholarship and jurisprudence, and our observations of the ways in which the method is being used by ourselves and others. Although deeply grounded in Aotearoa, we argue that CTA may be transferable to other colonial contexts, such as the Australian where treaties between First Nations and the state are being contemplated, and Canada which has passed legislation to implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.