Towards a framework for analysing interactions between social science and environmental policy

Abstract

Interactions between social science and environmental policy have become increasingly important over the past 25 years. There has, however, been little analysis of the roles that social scientists adopt and the contributions they make. In this paper we begin the process, offering tentative answers to two key questions: in relation to environmental problems: (1) how do social science and public policy interact? and (2) in the future, what types of interactions can social scientists engage in? To answer these questions we build on research in policy studies and science and technology studies, and extend it through public scholarship debates.

Scientists’ framing of the ocean science–policy interface

“…The orthodox view on the science-policy interface is that problems are external; an emerging post-positivist perspective, on the other hand, views problems as endogenous, constructed by scientists and policy-makers that define the problems (Parry and Murphy, 2013). Frames are thus central and help define who has relevant knowledge and privileged positions at the science-policy interface, favouring certain types of knowledge and the inclusion of certain types of experts.…”

“…In their meta-analysis of 125 science-policy articles, Spruijt et al (2014) found five distinct perspectives among scientists (which they labelled as post-normal science, science and technology studies, science policy studies, politics of expertise, and risk governance). Scientists' ideas, beliefs, and discourses form these frames that scientists use to decide what constitutes excellent science and the role that scientists should play in the policy-making process (Fischer, 2003;Parry and Murphy, 2013); this can influence their choice about which research to pursue, how to pursue it, whether to collaborate with scientists from other disciplines and with information end-users from government and society, how to disseminate their findings, and how to evaluate research outputs and outcomes. Among scientists, there are competing frames and an ongoing evolution of discourses about the science-policy interface (Cornell et al, 2013;Parry and Murphy, 2013).…”

“…Scientists' ideas, beliefs, and discourses form these frames that scientists use to decide what constitutes excellent science and the role that scientists should play in the policy-making process (Fischer, 2003;Parry and Murphy, 2013); this can influence their choice about which research to pursue, how to pursue it, whether to collaborate with scientists from other disciplines and with information end-users from government and society, how to disseminate their findings, and how to evaluate research outputs and outcomes. Among scientists, there are competing frames and an ongoing evolution of discourses about the science-policy interface (Cornell et al, 2013;Parry and Murphy, 2013). Variations in scientists' own perspectives about their appropriate level of engagement at the science-policy interface and the ocean science-policy context within which they work may thus both shape the degree to which scientific evidence is available for use by policy-makers to address complex ocean challenges.…”

Problematizing interactions between social science and public policy

“…The interest of the workshop organizers (Parry and Murphy) in this area was prompted by the reflections of individual social science scholars on their careers (see Burgess 2005;Owens 2005) but also a funded project aiming to further examine the relationship between social science and environmental policy (see Parry and Murphy 2013). The latter suggests that an element of greater critical thinking is entering the social sciences about their activities and goals as they interact with public policy in diverse ways.…”

How to Solve the Gap between Science and Policy in the Coastal Management of Mediterranean Countries

“…A steady fl ow of knowledge between Science and Policy is the main requirement for a sound management of environmental systems, as it is well known by scientifi c literature [1][2][3]. By this way, a marine policy based on objective data becomes more and more important in the public debate [4].…”