Description
Book SynopsisThe Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com/, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license.
There has been an enormous increase in interest in the use of evidence for public policymaking, but the vast majority of work on the subject has failed to engage with the political nature of decision making and how this influences the ways in which evidence will be used (or misused) within political areas. This book provides new insights into the nature of political bias with regards to evidence and critically considers what an improved' use of evidence would look like from a policymaking perspective.
Part I describes the great potential for evidence to help achieve social goals, as well as the challenges raised by the political nature of policymaking. It explores the concern of evidence advocates that political interests drive the misuse or manipulation of evidence, as well as counter-conc
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‘This book is a marvellous interdisciplinary synthesis, grounded in case examples and at once critical and constructive. As such, it is both instructive for policy practitioners as well as moving the scholarship of the field forward.’ - Vivian Lin, Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia
‘This is essential reading for anybody working on the smarter use of evidence by government. It catalogues the many biases twisting how research is used by policymakers. It also addresses a vital challenge in our sector – a lack of legitimacy. As well as the academic rigour of this book, there are practical tips on what we can do about these problems, and lessons from across the globe showing where we get it wrong – and how we might get it right.’ - Jonathan Breckon, Head of the Alliance for Useful Evidence, U.K
‘This important book goes well beyond standard analyses of evidence informed policy with detailed discussions of the politics of evidence and the political origins (and the cognitive psychology) of bias in the use of research evidence. It addresses a core and often overlooked issue of the governance of evidence use - including the need to consider the institutions and processes in place that can enable the appropriate use of evidence in decision making. This book will be a pretty essential read for anyone concerned with the policy, practice or study of using research to inform decision making.’ - David Gough, Professor of Evidence Informed Policy and Practice, Director of the EPPI-
‘This book is a marvellous interdisciplinary synthesis, grounded in case examples and at once critical and constructive. As such, it is both instructive for policy practitioners as well as moving the scholarship of the field forward.’ - Vivian Lin, Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia
‘This is essential reading for anybody working on the smarter use of evidence by government. It catalogues the many biases twisting how research is used by policymakers. It also addresses a vital challenge in our sector – a lack of legitimacy. As well as the academic rigour of this book, there are practical tips on what we can do about these problems, and lessons from across the globe showing where we get it wrong – and how we might get it right.’ - Jonathan Breckon, Head of the Alliance for Useful Evidence, U.K
‘This important book goes well beyond standard analyses of evidence informed policy with detailed discussions of the politics of evidence and the political origins (and the cognitive psychology) of bias in the use of research evidence. It addresses a core and often overlooked issue of the governance of evidence use - including the need to consider the institutions and processes in place that can enable the appropriate use of evidence in decision making. This book will be a pretty essential read for anyone concerned with the policy, practice or study of using research to inform decision making.’ - David Gough, Professor of Evidence Informed Policy and Practice, Director of the EPPI-
Table of ContentsList of Figures
List of Tables
List of Boxes
Acknowledgments
Part I: Evidence-based policymaking – opportunities and challenges
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Evidence-based policymaking – an important first step, and the need to take the next
Part II: The politics of evidence
Chapter 3. Bias and the politics of evidence
Chapter 4. The overt politics of evidence – bias and the pursuit of political interests
Chapter 5. The subtle politics of evidence – the cognitive-political origins of bias
Part III: Towards the good governance of evidence
Chapter 6. What is ‘good evidence for policy’? – from hierarchies to appropriate evidence
Chapter 7. What is the ‘good use of evidence’ for policy?
Chapter 8. From evidence-based policy to the good governance of evidence
Index
