Nutley, Walter and Davies (2009: 8) state that the
scope and accuracy of research in policy is usually the subject of competing
opinions[1] and claims[2], but the debate is often
not so much about whether research has been used, but more about how it has
been used. This is important to note that the argument given by the writers
should be understood with the foundation that what constitutes the nature of
research is broad and there is also no specific definition about research
(Court, Hovland & Young 2005, cited in Nutley, Walter and Davis 2009: 2).
In my evaluation, the argument given by Nutley,
Walter and Davies above is true. I agree with the overall statement. However,
we need to be more careful to define whether something is real public opinion
or just merely interest groups’ opinion. Using another perspectives (for
example political perspective) to understand the broad discussion on public
policy is also important.
The influence of opinion – especially public
opinion – in the policy making process is avowed by most of social scientist
who study the relationship between public opinion and public policy in democratic
states (Burstein 2003: 1). In addition, Hall (2008: 1) argues that one of the
influential factors in policy making or decisions is research finding. Supporting
argument given by Nutley, Walter and Davies (2009: 8) that the dispute of the
research is more about how research has been used can also be seen in the article
written by Clarence (2002: 3) that the contribution of research and policy to
practice must be equal, research must be independence with high quality of
agreed standard, the need for research to be adjusted in a form that policy and
decision makers can understand. Moreover, Clarence (2002: 2) also add that the
debate about what actually constitutes evidence and how the evidence is
selected and prioritised is happened widely and become concern to encourage the
utilisation of research.
On the other hand, Gilens and Page (2014: 576) find
the high correlation between elite and mass preferences as the result of the
effort of interest groups and policy makers in shaping opinion. They also find
that ordinary citizens’ influence in policy making is almost zero. By using
political perspective, Gilens and Page (2014: 565) find that preferences and
actions of organized interest group are sometimes positively associated with
public opinion and thereby shaping improper statistical relationship between
opinion and policy. The point given by Gilens and Page above is in line with
the Clarence’s (2002: 6) stance about evidence that evidence is actually a
decision and decision can never be objective.
To conclude, argument given by Nutley, Walter and
Davies (2002: 8) that research in policy is mainly about competing opinions and
claims is true. Public opinion and expert opinion are not “value free” and
claims from interest groups or policy makers can also become counterfeited
public opinion. Therefore, it is important to ensure that research for policy
is conducted with agreed standard, independence, and integrity values.***
Written by: Agung Wasono (March 2015)
References:
Burstein, P. (2003)
‘The Impact of Public Opinion on Public
Policy: A Review and an Agenda’, Political
Research Quarterly, Vol. 56 (29): 28 – 40.
Clarence, E. (2002)
‘Technocracy revisited: The new evidence based policy movement’, Public Policy and Administration, Vol.
11 (3): 1-11.
Gilens, M, B
I Page. (2014) ‘Testing Theories of
American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens’, American Political Science Association, Vol. 12 (3): 564 – 581.
Hall, R. (2008) Applied Social Research: Planning, designing and conducting real-world
research, Melbourne: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nutley, S, I
Walter & H. Davies. (2009) ‘Past, present and possible futures for
evidence-based policy’, In Argryrous, G (ed), Evidence for Policy and Decision-Making, Sydney: UNSW Press
[1]
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “opinion” means “a belief,
judgment, or way of thinking about something, or what someone thinks about a
particular thing, or advice from someone with special knowledge, or advice from
an expert.
[2]
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “claim” means “to say that
(something) is true when some people may say it is not true”.
