PubPob pt. 4 - Policy Sciences

This is study the process of deciding or choosing and evaluating the relevance of available knowledge for the solution of particular problems. "any research that relates to or promotes the public interest"

Policy Sciences (In the Social Science World, the study of Public Policy is known as "policy science")

Since an official decision or a private choice is a problem-solving activity, five intellectual tasks are performed at varying levels of insight and understanding:

• clarification of goals;

• description of trends;

• analysis of conditions;

• projection of future developments; and

• invention, evaluation, and selection of alternatives.

Harold D. Laswell, was inspired by the pragmatist, ______, who viewed that societal problems can be approached in a productive and practical manner. With this, Laswell conceived social sciences as methods of problem-solving and in the end proposed that they be understood as policy sciences.

John Dewy

These scholars defined Policy Science in order:

• any research that relates to or promotes the public interest

• the application of knowledge and rationality to perceived social problems.

• identifying the important societal problems that presumably require government action

• teaching research, and related academic and professional activities in improving government policies

• multi-disciplinary, eclectic, problem solving activity intended to improve societal situations

• a field of study which treats public policy as the calculated response of the government to a societal problem

• Dennis Palumbo

• Yehezkel Dror

• Peter De Leon

• Romeo Ocampo

• Maria Fe Mendoza

• Carmelo Rico Bihasa

Subfields of Policy Science

Policy Analysis, Evaluation, and Process

This is considered as an "ex post" policy process (Smith & Larimer, 2009) and its objective is to assess the performance of the government policy as to how far it has achieved its objectives

Policy Evaluation

This is considered as an "ex ante" policy process (Smith & Larimer, 2009) and its objective is to determine the best policy that can be adopted by the government to address a particular problem in the society.

Policy Analysis

Its objective focuses on the different stages of how and why a certain policy is formulated, adopted, implemented, and evaluated.

Policy Process

Distinct Characteristics of Policy Science

• Problem Oriented

• Multi-disciplinary

• Methodologically Sophisticated

• Value Oriented

• Theoretically Sophisticated

It employs "out-of-the-box" but realistic techniques on how to analyze the different policy process. These may be useful in determining which policy will most likely benefit the public and in assessing which policy will deviate from the expected path of its performance.

Methodologically Sophisticated

This means that the field of policy science is presumed to replete with several models and theories that explain the cause and effect of policy issues and problems in the world. This also means that the discipline has the grasp on how the key policy actors operate and interact in the policy world with the end view of addressing problems as demanded by the environment.

Theoretically Sophisticated

The role of policy science is prescribed as "the job of the policy scientist to diagnose the ills of the body politic, understand the causes and implications of those ills, recommend treatment, and evaluate the impact of the treatment" — identified by Laswell as the "Policy science of democracy"

Value-oriented

Such orientation or inclination to societal problems is expected as the discipline is designed to be a study on the issues that complicate the lives of the general public. More than being a study on societal issues, it should also raise the awareness that comprehensive solutions should be done after the complete assessment of the extent of societal problems.

Problem Oriented

Policy science cuts across several disciplines that provide the field with a range of models and methodologies in attempting to provide the right solutions to the problems of the society. In addition, the vast experience of the other disciplines affords policy science with a wide range of ideas on how to approach various issues that are faced by the government.

Multi-disciplinary

The Evolution of Policy Sciences

Problem-oriented — Multi-disciplinary —- Value-oriented

The policy sciences are ______ in their intellectual and practical approaches. This is because almost every social or political problem has multiple components closely linked to the various academic disciplines without falling clearly into any one discipline’s exclusive domain.

distinctively multidisciplinary

The policy sciences were consciously framed as being ______, quite explicitly addressing public policy issues and posing recommendations for their relief, while openly rejecting the study of a phenomenon for its own sake. The societal or political question—_____—has always been pivotal in the policy sciences’ approach. Likewise, policy problems are seen to occur in a specific context, a context that must be carefully considered in terms of the analysis, methodology, and subsequent recommendations. Thus, necessarily, the policy approach has not developed an overarching theoretic foundation

problem-oriented; So what?

The policy sciences’ approach is deliberately _______; in many cases, the recurring theme of the policy sciences deals with the democratic ethos and human dignity.

This value orientation was largely in reaction to behavioralism, i.e., “objectivism,” in the social sciences, and in recognition that no social problem nor methodological approach is value free.

As such, to understand a problem, one must acknowledge its value components. Similarly, no policy scientist is without her/his own personal values, which also must be understood, if not resolved, as Amy (1984) has discussed. This theme later achieved a central role in the policy sciences’ movement to a post-positivist orientation

normative or value oriented

Twilight Zone of Political Science and Public Administration

PS: Deals with the content, politics, intellectualized understanding of public issues. (descriptive)

PA: Deals with the political economy, organizational theory, implementation and evaluation of public policies. (prescriptive)

WHAT ARE POLICY SCIENTISTS FOR?

• Objective Technician or Neutral Researcher

• Client’s advocates or Handmaids

• Issues Advocate

CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS ON THE FIELD OF POLICY SCIENCE:

• Temporary Fads or State Materials

• Too practical or Too Theoretical

• Too multidisciplinary or Too narrowly Focused on Political Science

• Too quantitative or too subjective

• Too underutilized or Too Over utilized

• Too conservativ e or too liberal

• Science or Art” It's status

PRAISES ABOUT THE FIELD OF POLICY SCIENCE:

• new perspective on political and social phenomena

• Interdisciplinary perspective across all fields of knowledge

• combination of diverse ideas

• scientist field concerned with the normative questions

The _______ also gave rise to technocrats – the leaders of “technological politics” as policy makers.

Martial Law era

T or F: The Marcos Regime recognized the importance of utilizing the most skilled economist and administrators to give (scientific) legitimacy of his claims.

TRUE

How is Policy Science in Martisl Law era?

This era created the conditions for a more centralized and controlled form of governance, where long-term planning and policy coordination became more feasible—at least structurally.

Within this environment, the state increasingly relied on _______—trained economists, planners, and administrators—who functioned as the key actors in translating Policy Sciences into practice. These individuals were not merely advisers; they became the leaders of policy formulation, embodying what can be described as “________”—a mode of governance where:

technocrats; technological politics

Where:

• Policy problems are framed as technical issues

• Solutions are derived from scientific and economic models

• Decision-making is concentrated among experts

Policy Sciences as a Tool for Governance The Marcos regime recognized that Policy Sciences could serve a dual purpose. On one hand, it allowed the government to?

On the other hand, it became a powerful means of _________

• Improve economic planning

• Enhance administrative efficiency

• Introduce structured policy frameworks

…legitimizing state authority

Thus, Policy Sciences contributed to what we might call a “______”—where decisions appeared grounded in neutral expertise, even when they were deeply embedded in an authoritarian political context.

scientific veneer of legitimacy

In the Philippine case, Policy Sciences did not simply develop as an academic field—it became intertwined with, EXCEPT:

• State power

• Authoritarian governance

• Beyond ordinary political contestation

• The strategic use of expertise

Beyond ordinary political contestation

The field of policy science can still blossom into a full pledged multidisciplinary science in the country if:

1. _______ can be made available for policy education, research and advocacy;

2. _______ can be produced with the needed commitment and resolve to help the nation; and

3. _______ recognize the potential of policy analysis in helping them formulate and implement better policies for the greater Filipinos

1. More funding

2. More graduates and researches

3. More policy makers and administrators

This destroys the more congenial, spontaneous, egalitarian, and intrinsically meaningful aspects of human association . . . represses individuals . . . is ineffective when confronted with complex social problems . . . makes effective and appropriate policy analysis impossible . . . [and, most critically] is antidemocratic.

Instrumental Rationality

The post-positivist epistemological orientation argued for an alternative policy approach, one that has featured different variations of greater citizen participation (as opposed to technical, generally removed elites), often under the phrase of _________ —- and when community members are excluded from policy analysis and policymaking process, everyone loses: without proper feedback channels, policymakers may never realize how or why a policy is not achieving the desired results. Ordinary citizens often lack the tools or knowledge to get involved in policy decision

Participatory policy analysis

Goal of PPA

• accountability

• transparency

• active citizenship