"GRASS" ROOTS IN TEXAS: A Multiple Streams Approach to Understanding the Marijuana Movement's Policy Impact. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Harris, Katharine Neill; Morris, John C.
• Is Part Of: World affairs. Volume 180:Number 1(2017)
• Page Start: 93
• Page End: 126
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Social Movements and Public Policy -- Marijuana Reform -- Cannabis Laws -- Grass -- Pot -- Medical Marijuana -- Policy Impact -- Marijuana Activism -- Multiple Streams Framework -- Agenda Setting -- United States -- Texas -- War on Drugs; Movimientos Sociales y Políticas Públicas -- Reforma de la Marihuana -- Leyes del Cannabis -- Hierba -- Marihuana medicinal -- Impacto de Políticas -- Activismo de Marihuana -- Marco de Corrientes Múltiples -- Establecimiento de Agenda -- Estados Unidos -- Texas -- Guerra contra las drogas; 社会运动和公共政策 -- 大麻改革 -- 大麻法 -- 草 -- 锅 -- 药用大麻 -- 政策影响 -- 大麻行动主义 -- 多源流框架 -- 议程设置 -- 美国 -- 德克萨斯州 -- 毒品战争; International relations -- Periodicals; Peace -- Periodicals; Arbitration (International law) -- Periodicals; United States -- Foreign relations -- Periodicals; Arbitration (International law); International relations; Peace; United states; Foreign relations; Internationale politiek; Periodicals; 327.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0043820017716683
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-8200

Abstract

Several scholars have pointed to a gap between the social movement and policy literatures, and argue that the failure of each field to incorporate the other creates a missing link in our understanding of how social movements and policy shape each other. This study provides an opportunity to make these links by applying John Kingdon's multiple streams framework of agenda setting to the marijuana movement in Texas. Texas, an unlikely candidate for marijuana reform, was the site of sustained efforts to change marijuana laws during the 2015 legislative session. This research offers evidence about the ways in which social movements influence the policy process, and how the policy process responds to activist efforts. We find that despite well-organized movement efforts, political influence was limited. We argue that the reform movement's inability to control activist participation presents additional challenges in a nonballot initiative state such as Texas.