Connections between research and policy: The case of fertility diffusion and regional demographic policy in Portugal

Abstract

There are missing links between research and policy that can be filled by better information on the real world. This is important not only to evaluate the contribution of research to the policymakers and to society, but also to design policies based on evidence. Three models for meeting such objectives are presented, emphasizing the role of (a) journals, (b) government and (c) researchers. We provide outline examples of the three approaches, focussing on regional demographic policies in Portugal.