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Berlin Sustainability Talk: Analysis of policy change in comparative policy research

May 18, 2011 | 12:00 PM

Lecture and discussion with Prof. Christoph Knill, Universität Konstanz

Policy change is an important concept in comparative policy analysis. Despite its centrality, most empirical studies fail to provide clear-cut definitions and measurement of this concept. Against this background, this presentation concentrates on the evaluation of previous scholarship on policy change in the area of environmental policy. Often studies use proxies for measuring policy change even though they contradict the basic idea of policy-making activities. Furthermore, studies usually neither capture the complexity of policy change, nor do they take the possibility of policy change through dismantling into account. Additionally, the empirical focus of most analyses is too narrow, which impedes robust statements about causality. In response to these flaws, I propose a new conceptual perspective, which captures policy change as a broader empirical phenomenon. This perspective is illustrated on the basis of new empirical data and compared to findings delivered by alternative measurements approaches.

The talk will be held in German.

The Berlin Sustainability Talk is a monthly brown bag seminar at the Environmental Policy Research Centre (ffu). It presents a forum for discussion and exchange about ongoing research projects and recent trends in environmental policy research with scholars of other institutes, business representatives, politics, and public administrations as well as the interested public.

Time & Location

May 18, 2011 | 12:00 PM

Freie Universität Berlin, Henry-Ford-Bau, Garystr. 35, Senatssaal