Policy expertise in times of crisis

Peter Aagaard; Marleen Easton; Brian Head

doi:10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000016

Policy expertise in times of crisis

Bidragets oversatte titel: Policy ekspertise i en krisetid

Peter Aagaard, Marleen Easton, Brian Head

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Ekspert-baseret rådgivning af regeringer er sat under stort pres i krisetider, hvor alle regeringer står over for svært kontrollérbare udfordringer, lige fra økonomiske og politiske forstyrrelser til sundhedspandemier, naturkatastrofer og trusler mod den nationale sikkerhed. Kriser kan føre til forskellige fortolkninger fra politiske aktører om, den rette måde at reagere på. Konflikter der forstærkes af uundgåelig mangel på viden og usikkerhed om, hvordan krisen kan udvikle sig. Dette beslutningspres var især tydeligt under COVID-19-krisen om end presset kom forskelligt til udtryk i forskellige lande. Denne indledende artikel danner ramme om en gruppe studier, der bringer ny indsigt i, hvordan statslige politiske rådgivningssystemer reagerede på krisen. Politiske råd blev formuleret på baggrund af kontroverser om, hvordan man prioriterer sundhedsresultater, økonomi og social interaktion. Artiklerne i dette special issue analyserer politiske rådgivningssystemer med særlig opmærksomhed på kvaliteten af den tilgængelige videnbase, den disciplinære blanding af ekspertise inden for rådgivende organer, eksperternes roller som enten betroede insidere eller som outsidere, som udbydere eller "skabere" af viden, samt graden af (u)formalitet i eksperternes relation til politikere. Tilsammen giver dette special issue ny indsigt i, hvordan den viden, der leveres gennem politiske rådgivningssystemer, informerer om krisestyring. På denne måde fremmer det vores viden om forholdet mellem eksperter i politiske rådgivningssystemer og politiske beslutningstagere i krisetider. Det viser også, hvordan regeringernes politiske rådgivningssystemer er blevet udfordret som følge af det øgede pres fra de tilbagevendende kriser.

Bidragets oversatte titel	Policy ekspertise i en krisetid
Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Policy and Politics
Vol/bind	52
Udgave nummer	1
Sider (fra-til)	2-23
Antal sider	22
ISSN	0305-5736
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000016
Status	Udgivet - 8 jan. 2024

Emneord

crisis
expertise
experts
policy advisory
systems
COVID-19
crisis management
governance

Link til dokument

10.1332/03055736Y2023D000000016

Citer dette

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abstract = "Policy advisory systems, which provide evidence-informed policy advice to governments, are put under great pressure in times of crisis. Crisis situations may engender conflicting interpretations by stakeholders about how to respond. These conflicts are compounded by inevitable gaps in knowledge and uncertainties about how the crisis might develop. All governments face challenges beyond their control which can take many forms, ranging from financial and political disruptions through to health pandemics, natural disasters, and threats to national security. Such decision-making pressures were especially evident during the COVID-19 crisis and followed different trajectories in different countries. This introductory article frames a group of research studies that brings new insights into various aspects of how governmental policy advisory systems responded to this crisis. Policy advice was formulated against a backdrop of controversies about how to prioritise health outcomes, economic livelihoods and social interaction. These studies analyse policy advisory systems with particular attention to the quality of the available knowledge base, the disciplinary mix of expertise within advisory bodies, the roles of experts as either trusted insiders or as external commentators, as providers or {\textquoteleft}shapers{\textquoteright} of knowledge, and the degree of (in)formality in their relationships with politicians. These issues are also investigated in the context of creeping crises, such as climate change. Taken together, the special issue provides new insights into how knowledge provided through policy advisory systems informs crisis governance. In this way, it advances our knowledge of the relationship between experts in policy advisory systems and political decision-makers in times of crisis.",

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