Agenda Setting and Public Policy

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Agenda Setting and Public Policy

• Peters, Chapter 3
• Cobb, Ross and Ross (APSR)

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Stages of the Policy Process

• Problem Definition (Issue formation)
• ?
• Agenda Formation
• ?
• Policy Adoption
• ?
• Policy Implementation
• ?
• Policy Evaluation
• ?
• Problem Re-Definition

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Stages of the Policy Process

• Problem Definition (Issue formation)
• Agenda Formation

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Types of Agendas

• Public Agenda
• Issues which have received a high level of
  public interest and visibility (Cobb, et al.)
  

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Types of Agendas

• Public Agenda
• Issues which have received a high level of
  public interest and visibility (Cobb, et al.)
  
• Formal Agenda (Government)
• Systemic agenda full set of issues thought to
  be potentially deserving government action
• Institutional agenda the actual set of issues
  which government addresses

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Problem Definition

• How do policy issues emerge?

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Problem Definition

• How do policy issues emerge? Triggering
  mechanisms
• a critical event (or set of events) that
  converts a routine problem into a widely shared,
  negative public response. (Gerston, 23)

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Dimensions of triggering mechanisms

• Scope of people affected
• Intensity perceived importance
• Time length of time a critical event unfolds
• Policy issues most likely to progress through the
  policy process when scope and intensity are high,
  and the critical event(s) happens quickly.
• Triggering mechanisms constitute linkage between
  the perception of a problem and demand for
  political action.

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Types of triggering mechanisms

• Internal - natural catastrophes, economic
  calamities, technological breakthroughs, social
  evolution
• vs.
• External acts of war, indirect conflicts,
  economic confrontations, balance of power
• Planned vs. Unplanned

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Examples of Triggering Mechanisms?
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Examples of Triggering Mechanisms?

• Civil Rights Policy
• 1960s Civil Rights Movement ? Civil Rights
  Act, Voting Rights Act
• Environmental Policy
• 1970s Arab oil embargo 1973 ? various energy
  policies
• Social Welfare Policy
• 1930s Great Depression ?New Deal legislation
• 1960s Harrington/Television/Civil Rights
  Movement ? Johnsons War on Poverty

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Examples of Triggering Mechanisms?

• Education Policy
• 1950s Cold War/Sputnik(1957) ? Natl Defense
  Education Act (1958)
• 1960s War on Poverty ? Elementary and Secondary
  Education Act (1965)
• Economic Policy
• 1980s/1990s Large trade deficits ? Legislation
  to increase economic competitiveness
• Criminal Justice
• 1980s/90s Discovery of crack cocaine ? War
  on Drugs

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The Politics of Agenda Setting

• How do issues reach the formal agenda?
• Cobb, Ross and Ross (1976)
• Three models of agenda building

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The Outside Initiative Model
Government (formal agenda)
Public Agenda
Issue Expansion
Other Groups
Initiating Group
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Example The Civil Rights Movement
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Example The Civil Rights Movement
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Strategies for Issue Expansion

• Media
• Issue Framing

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The Mobilization Model
Government (formal agenda)
Mass Public
Public Agenda
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The Inside Initiative Model
Government (formal agenda)
Insider Group
Mass Public
Public Agenda
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