The Magic of Measurement: Mental Testing and English Education 1900–40

1977 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 135-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Sutherland

It has been a characteristic of studies of social policy-making in England to lay considerable stress on the importance of quantification, of precise measurement, in the evolution of any given policy. It has been suggested that the power of the evidence, once properly assembled and measured, could on occasion be sufficient to dissolve previous certainties and act as a catalyst of new thought. It is perhaps not entirely fanciful to see links between this aspect of the historiography of social policy and the preoccupation of English social thought with empiricism, a preoccupation which led sometimes to the presentation of empiricism as an alternative to social theory. All of this enhances the importance of attempts to assess the role of measurement in any given field of policy and to confront directly the questions of its autonomy and the power of its advocates.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attila Bartha ◽  
Zsolt Boda ◽  
Dorottya Szikra

The rise of populist governance throughout the world offers a novel opportunity to study the way in which populist leaders and parties rule. This article conceptualises populist policy making by theoretically addressing the substantive and discursive components of populist policies and the decision-making processes of populist governments. It first reconstructs the implicit ideal type of policy making in liberal democracies based on the mainstream governance and policy making scholarship. Then, taking stock of the recent populism literature, the article elaborates an ideal type of populist policy making along the dimensions of content, procedures and discourses. As an empirical illustration we apply a qualitative congruence analysis to assess the conformity of a genuine case of populist governance, social policy in post-2010 Hungary with the populist policy making ideal type. Concerning the policy content, the article argues that policy heterodoxy, strong willingness to adopt paradigmatic reforms and an excessive responsiveness to majoritarian preferences are distinguishing features of any type of populist policies. Regarding the procedural features populist leaders tend to downplay the role of technocratic expertise, sideline veto-players and implement fast and unpredictable policy changes. Discursively, populist leaders tend to extensively use crisis frames and discursive governance instruments in a Manichean language and a saliently emotional manner that reinforces polarisation in policy positions. Finally, the article suggests that policy making patterns in Hungarian social policy between 2010 and 2018 have been largely congruent with the ideal type of populist policy making.


Author(s):  
Robert Pinker

In this chapter, Robert Pinker discusses the complex relationship between social theory and social policy in democratic societies, focusing on the work of the philosophers Hilary Putnam and Karl Popper. Pinker first considers the distinction between scientific theory, normative theory and ideology and whether it is possible — or desirable — to design and implement rational social policies in the fractious world of democratic party politics. He then examines the interrelationships between policy making, policy research and public opinion and goes on to describe behavioural and structural models of poverty, as well as how poverty relates to liberal individualism, social inequality, socialism and collectivism. Pinker argues that the development and testing of theories is an essential element in the conduct of social research. He also comments on the work of Amartya Sen on the capability approach and its relevance to poverty analysis.


1981 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Whiteley

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the role of public opinion in the social policy making process. It argues that existing accounts of social policy formation are inadequate in their treatment of public opinion, and inconsistent in their estimation of its importance. It then goes on to examine detailed examples of the role of public opinion in policy making; and finally tests two hypotheses concerning the sources of the demand for social welfare spending on the part of the British electorate.


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Deacon

This article assesses the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in terms of their contribution to improved global social governance. As a global policy-making process they are commended. As a set of global social policy aspirations the SDGs are the first global social policy. In terms of the contributions the SDG document makes to improving the architecture of global social governance it is found to fail. It fails in the field of global redistribution, global taxation, global regulation and in the field of the realisation of global social rights. The SDGs document embodies a reversal in policy-making away from a concern to construct improved global governance institutions back to an era of strengthening national sovereignty. The anti-structural adjustment sentiments of the 1980s cast their shadow over attempts to construct a socially responsible globalisation in the 2010s. The SDGs do make suggestions regarding the role of regionalism in meeting the goals and targets and indeed the article suggests reforms in regional social governance might be a more productive route to follow.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  

Abstract Acknowledging the role of economic arguments in political discourses and decision-making, researchers have begun to pay more attention to the fiscal implications of different health policy options for migrants. As yet, empirical evidence on economic effects of policy responses to migration and the societal costs or cost-effectiveness of competing strategies to address migrants’ health needs is scarce. Methodological challenges such as limited availability and accessibility of decent data often impede the generation of robust evidence. Further, little is known as to how evidence can effectively be moved into policy; e.g., the actual clout of economic arguments in migration policies debates, as opposed to other evidence- or value-based arguments, hitherto remains unclear. In other social policy domains such as educational and labour market integration, economic evaluations have become routine components of policy assessments. And under the title of, e.g., knowledge translation, strategies for the introduction of research evidence into political decision-making processes have been developed. The combination of similar goals and challenges suggests that there are opportunities to build bridges across sectors and disciplines - e.g., public health, social epidemiology, economics, social policy, data science - as well as across research-practice-divides, for the purposes of mutual learning and the joint improvement of research outcomes. The goal of this workshop is to start such learning processes by bringing together researchers and professionals from different fields, by sharing existing knowledge, and by jointly exploring the following questions: What are the thematic intersections, tensions and synergies between the different disciplines? What are common goals and questions? Which kinds of different knowledge complement each other towards those goals?Where are options for mutual learning, methodological transfer and/or synthesis? How can they help to overcome current challenges in estimating the costs of divergent migrant health policies?What can be learnt from existing knowledge translation strategies as regards the role of research for migrant health policy making?What challenges and open questions remain? The workshop will start with a brief introduction of key concepts and objectives. The first presentation will use three case studies to reflect on the potential of economic evaluation for improving health screening and assessment policies for asylum seekers in Germany. The second presentation will provide input from seminal research on public policy in migration contexts. A third presentation will summarize previous activities and insights of the work group “Economic arguments in migrant health policy making”. The following discussion will examine the above noted questions by tapping into the presenters’ expertise and the audience’s experience. The workshop will be closed with a summary of lessons learnt and directions for future research. Key messages Economic arguments play a central role in policy-making; but economic analyses of different migrant health policy options are hampered by various methodological challenges and tensions. Seminal research in other social policy domains offers potential for mutual learning, toward the end of generating valid economic evidence on the cost-benefits of migrants’ greater in-/exclusion.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-238
Author(s):  
Vera Backović ◽  
Ljubomir Maširević

The role of architecture through history has always been important because it is a physical frame of social life and also a symbol of social values and aspirations. Architectural creations are influenced by social thought. Modernism is an outstanding example of how social goals have directed planning of the cities. After having analyzed the conditions of its emergence and its characteristics this paper points out the changes brought about by postmodernism. In the end, the attention has been drawn to the place architecture holds in the city of consumption.


Author(s):  
Louise Warwick-Booth ◽  
Simon Rowlands

Abstract This book chapter seeks to: (i) Comment on the state of academic health promotion; (ii) explain the differences between health policy, social policy and health in all policy; (iii) explore the policy process; (iv) introduce key ideas from the policy analysis literature; (v) show how ideology affects policy making; and (vi) discuss the role of advocacy within health promotion.


Author(s):  
Louise Warwick-Booth ◽  
Simon Rowlands

Abstract This book chapter seeks to: (i) Comment on the state of academic health promotion; (ii) explain the differences between health policy, social policy and health in all policy; (iii) explore the policy process; (iv) introduce key ideas from the policy analysis literature; (v) show how ideology affects policy making; and (vi) discuss the role of advocacy within health promotion.


Author(s):  
Tina Haux

Based on 16 interviews with Social Policy Professors on the impact and influence they have had (or not had) over their professional lifecourse, the chapter picks up on themes set out in chapter 2 about the feasibility of academics influencing policy-making and highlights the role of luck, (often international) collaboration, the role of mentors and a strong emphasis on epistemic communities.


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