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Subjectivist Approaches to the Study of Social Policy Making

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

John Edwards
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Abstract

The relationship between different approaches to the study of social policy making is often ambiguous. An attempt to relate subjectivist approaches to others in order to establish their applicability and relevance to policy making requires the prior clarification of these relationships in the form of a typology. This is used to illustrate ‘category mistakes’ that occur in the literature on policy making as well as to make more explicit the differences and similarities between alternative approaches. The nature of subjectivist approaches is further explored and the limitations of such approaches illustrated in respect of a particular study of policy making. The difficulty of establishing connections between subjectivist accounts of policy making in terms of actors' constructions and meanings, and the tangible outputs of the policy process, is shown as an important problem from this study. The article then turns to the usefulness of subjectivist approaches, especially in testing assertions made about the nature of the policy process by alternative approaches, and concludes with some remarks about the epistemological status of subjectivist accounts.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Social Policy , Volume 10 , Issue 3 , July 1981 , pp. 289 - 310
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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References

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2 But see Lewis, J. and Flynn, R., ‘The Implementation of Urban and Regional Planning Policies’, Policy and Politics, 7:2 (1979), 123–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and Edwards, J. and Batley, R., The Politics of Positive Discrimination, Tavistock, London, 1978.Google Scholar

3 There is a vast literature on policy making (a great deal of it American), but examples of more recent British work which have emphasized the importance and usefulness of subjectivist approaches are: Carrier, J. and Kendall, I. ‘Social Policy and Social Change – Explanations of the Development of Social Policy’, Journal of Social Policy, 2:3 (07 1973), 209–24CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Young, K. ‘Values in the Policy Process’, Policy and Politics, 5:3 (1977), 1–22CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Young, K. and Mills, L., ‘Assumptive World’ Research in Intergovernmental Relations: Concepts and Approaches, unpublished, School for Advanced Urban Studies, Bristol, 1979Google Scholar; Ham, C., ‘Approaches to the Study of Policy Making’, Policy and Politics, 8:1 (1980), 55–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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24 Throughout the categorization and the ensuing explication, the possessive case has been used only for reasons of economy. This does not mean and neither should it be read as implying, that, for example, Jenkins, postulatesGoogle Scholar or approves such approaches as ‘rational comprehensive’ or ‘incremental bargaining’ (though in some instances such as Allison, this might be so), but only that particular authors have used, commented upon, discussed or criticized various approaches.

25 It may well be that the literature abounds with studies that concentrate upon purposive policy tactics and, if so, the author must take the blame for having found and cited no other example.

26 Hill, op. cit. p. 90.

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31 Ham, op. cit. p. 68, also argues the importance of linking theories of power distribution to those of policy making.

32 Higgins, op. cit. p. 21.

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34 Ibid. p. 210.

35 Jenkins, op. cit.

36 Ibid. pp. 14–15.

37 Lindblom, op. cit. p. 86, n.7.

38 Glaser and Straus, op. cit., p. 3.

39 Ibid. p. 33. Whether or not this is epistemologically possible is discussed below.

40 Carrier and Kendall, op. cit. p. 222.

41 Ibid. p. 223.

42 Ibid. p. 221.

43 Heclo and Wildavsky, op. cit.

44 Ibid. p. XVII.

45 Ibid. p. 2.

46 Young, op. cit. pp. 2–3.

47 Young, and Mills, op. cit.

48 Ibid, p. 10 (my italics).

49 Ham, op. cit.

50 Ibid. p. 65 (my italics).

51 The research is reported in Edwards and Batley, op. cit.

52 This was not the only approach adopted; other methodological techniques were used and the organizational context within which the policy process occurred could not be ignored. The organizational structure was seen as an influence on policy process and output in its own right, but of equal importance, the interpretation of actors' perceptions and social constructions required that they (the actors) be seen as members of a number of organizations (section, division, Home Office, Civil Service, etc.).

53 This is discussed at length in Edwards and Batley, op. cit. chapter 7.

54 Ham, op. cit. p. 65.

55 Young and Mills, op. cit.

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64 Ibid. pp. 26–7.

65 Ibid. p. 101. Similar views are cited at p. 106.

66 Ibid. p. 150.

67 Giddens, A., New Rules of Sociological Method, Hutehinson, London, 1976Google Scholar, especially chapter 4.

68 Ibid. p. 133.

69 Ibid. p. 133.