Policy Development in Practice: Tools and Innovation for Integrating Knowledge Types (EPSRC funded)

UCL STEaPP is looking for PhD applications (including a 2-page proposal) on the topic of ‘Policy Development in Practice: Tools and Innovation for Integrating Knowledge Types’.

The context for this project is a growing interest in the actual, practical processes of public policy development. Specifically, the project focuses on those activities that combine differing types of evidence to generate multi-, inter-, or even trans-disciplinary knowledge for policy.

Much has been argued in favour of grounding policy development in evidence-based approaches. This type of advocacy for ‘better’ use of ‘good’ evidence for policy is, however, often seemingly neutral or agnostic about the nature or type of evidence used or produced.
Experience suggests it is not uncommon for policy professionals to encounter a presumption in favour of quantitative over qualitative forms of evidence. Similarly, there are apparently persistent biases in favour of the knowledge produced by some disciplines (e.g. economic analytic insights over knowledge from the social sciences, etc.). In order to enhance the efficacy of analytic practices for policy, there is a need to better understand the mechanisms by which such knowledge siloes and biases might be practically overcome by policy professionals.

There is substantial anecdotal evidence on the practical successes and struggles encountered in making use of integrative forms of knowledge production for policy, and some areas of analytic innovation appear especially effective and successful in integrative knowledge production for policy: e.g. futures processes, participatory systems mapping exercises, and design-based techniques. Yet, little has been systematically captured about the challenges encountered in their practice, or why some innovations enjoy greater popularity and legacy over others. Both in practice and theory, we don’t really understand what is working, why, and in what context, or what does not.

The overarching research question to be addressed with this PhD project is therefore: how do policy analysts integrate effectively in practice? Potential subsidiary areas of interest include:
- What methods are used to integrate different types of knowledge within policy teams?
- What are some of the recent influential innovations in analytic practices?
- What challenges are encountered in knowledge integration?
- What makes employed methods credible or perceived as legitimate?
- How easily are integrative methods learnt and adopted?

The specific research aims, purpose and questions should be shaped by the PhD candidate’s interests. Drawing on UCL STEaPP’s ongoing programme of work, we propose to begin with a research pilot focusing on UK-specific experiences, although there is scope to explore non-UK and international perspectives. The UCL STEaPP faculty has access to data sources via both UK and international policy profession streams and ‘innovation labs’ (and their analytical training and best practice events).