Author Description

Contemporary Policy Scholars Tend To Be Cynical About Reform Movements That Hope To Make Policymaking More Rational Or More Democratic. Scholars Point To The Pathologies And Vagaries Of Realpolitik That Render Ideals Such As Evidence-based Policymaking, Long-term Prevention, Collaboration, Transparency And Citizen Engagement Unattainable. Increasingly, Many Go Further To Warn About The Democratic Dangers In The Foolhardy Pursuit Of These Goals. The Fact Is, However, That Scholarly Objections About Political Obstacles And Practical Constraints Are Not News To Policy Actors Themselves - They Are Acutely Aware Of The Challenges Of Policy Work Amid Uncertainty, Complexity And Contestation. They Privately Express Doubt, Frustration And Cynicism, Too. Yet Still They Continue To Support, Promote And Work Towards These Key Aspirations In Practice. Why Do Naïve Ideals About Better Policymaking Persist Even In Such Cynical Times? This Book Unpacks This Puzzle To Reveal The Careful Reflection Behind Apparent 'magical Thinking' In Public Policy. Through Rich Case Studies And Wide-ranging Theoretical Discussion, It Offers Novel Insight Into The Continuing Appealing Of Seemingly Naïve Ideals. In Particular, It Shows How Turning To These Ideals Helps Actors To Reconcile And Resolve Key Dilemmas And Challenges In Their Everyday Work. Ultimately, The Book Offers A Nuanced And Spirited Defence Of The Value Of Clinging On To Seemingly Naïve Ideals For Better Policymaking, Even In The Face Of Inevitable Failures And Disappointments