Drivers for Policy Agreement in Nascent Subsystems: An Application of the Advocacy Coalition Framework to Fracking Policy in Switzerland and the UK. Issue 3 (18th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ingold, Karin; Fischer, Manuel; Cairney, Paul
• Is Part Of: Policy studies journal. Volume 45:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 442
• Page End: 463
• Publication Date: 2016-08-18
• Subjects: policy subsystem -- nascent subsystem -- policy agreement -- advocacy coalition -- hydraulic fracturing; Policy sciences -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- United States -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; 320.6
• DOI: 10.1111/psj.12173
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-292X

Abstract

Abstract : The study of public policy deals with subsystems in which actors cooperate or compete to turn their beliefs into policy solutions. Yet, most studies concern mature subsystems in which the main actors and their allies and enemies can easily be identified. This paper tackles the challenge of studying nascent subsystems, in which actors have begun to engage in politics but are uncertain about other actors' beliefs. Actors therefore find it relatively difficult to identify their allies and opponents. Focusing on the Advocacy Coalition Framework, we examine three main ways in which actors might agree to support the same policy design before they decide whether or not to form long‐term relationships within advocacy coalitions: they see the issue through the same lenses, they follow leaders, or they know each other from earlier cooperation. We use the case of fracking policy in Switzerland and the UK as a key example, in which actors have begun to agree with each other, but where final policy outputs were not yet defined, and long‐term relationships not yet observable. We find that, when dealing with new issues, actors strongly rely on former contacts rather than shared ideologies or leadership. 摘要: 公共政策研究致力于分析政策子系统。在这一子系统中, 行动者们彼此竞争或合作以将他们的理念转化为政策方案。然而, 大多数研究关心那些主要行为者及其同盟和敌人可以被轻易识别的成熟的子系统。本文解决了一个研究新生子系统的挑战。在这些新生子系统中, 行动者开始参与政治, 然而并不能确定其他行为者的理念。因此, 行为者们对识别他们的同盟和对手感到相对棘手。针对倡议联盟理论框架, 我们检验了行为者们可能会在他们决定是否在倡议联盟中与其他成员建立长期联系前就支持同一政策设计的三条途径：他们从同一角度来看问题, 他们追随同样的领导, 他们在之前的合作中彼此了解。 我们以瑞士和英国的水力压裂技术政策作为重要案例。在该案例中, 行为者们开始彼此意见一致, 但是最终政策并未成型, 且未见长期关系的建立。我们发现, 当涉及新问题时, 行为者们更依赖于之前的联系, 而非共享的意识形态和领导。