DATE / TIME:

2022/06/28    08:00 - 2022/06/30    17:30

Location:

Hybrid

Image: iStockphoto/Bilanol

Organisers: UNU-FLORES, University of Stuttgart

Chairs

• Dr Hannah Kosow, Research Associate, University of Stuttgart
• Dr Sabrina Kirschke, Senior Research Associate, UNU-FLORES

During the three-day International Workshops on Public Policy (IWPP3), Dr Sabrina Kirsche (UNU-FLORES) and Dr Hannah Kosow (University of Stuttgart) organise and convene the workshop entitled ‘The politics behind problem structuring. Construction and effects of problem structures in policy design and implementation’.

Public policy scholars increasingly analyse public policy problems along with problem structures such as wickedness, complexity, uncertainty, or conflicts. This is particularly true for so-called nexus problems, which arguably span different policy (sub-)fields such as the water-energy-food nexus, the environment-development nexus, the environment-health nexus, or the water-security nexus. As an outcome, scholars suggest various policy and governance strategies for effectively dealing with these wicked problems, such as coherent policy mixes or participatory governance arrangements.

But while this problem-structural approach is gaining momentum, political scientists continuously call for a better understanding of the actual politics behind problem structuring and specifically how politics affects the construction of problems and respective solution strategies. Against this background, this workshop aims at addressing this neglected perspective on politics in problem structuring, focusing on the role of politics in policy construction and how respective constructions then affect policy design and implementation. Three research questions will guide the discussions:

1. Construction of problem structures I: What are the potential structural characteristics of public policy problems, and how can policy problems differ along with these structures?
2. Construction of problem structures II: Which roles do different actors from the public and private sector, civil society and academia play in the construction of problem structures of public policy problems, and what impacts do their interests and power relationships have?
3. Effects of problem structures: Which effects have (the constructions of) public policy problems on selected solution strategies in terms of policy and governance, including their likelihood to address problems effectively or in a rather symbolic matter?

The workshop suggests a dynamic format to address these questions. Combining (i) the presentation and discussion of research papers with (ii) more flexible discussion sessions in which different research results shall be connected to sketch out a joint and enhanced model of the role of politics in problem structuring.

The full list of speakers and the workshop schedule can be found here.

Background

The International Public Policy Association (IPPA) organises the International Workshops on Public Policy. The first workshop, IWPP1, was held in Pittsburgh, while the second edition, IWPP2, planned to take place in Quito in 2020, had to be cancelled. In 2022, IWPP3 will be delivered in a hybrid format at Corvinus University of Budapest, Center for Social Sciences in Budapest.

Over three days, attendants will participate in one of the 27 workshops selected to discuss a specific and important Research Question of Public Policy. Each workshop constitutes a fantastic possibility to dive deeper into a topic and prepare an edited book or a “Special Issue.”