Foundations of Science in Policy
Following my involvement in the Epistemology of Evidence-Based Policy research group, some my work concerns the foundations of science in policy: how ongoing scientific research or knowledge filters into decision-maker and policymaker action. Below, articles are organized by most recent.
A model of faulty and faultless disagreement for post-hoc assessments of knowledge utilization in evidence-based policymaking
[equal first authorship among four, with many authors, Scientific Reports (open access)]
When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals? We develop a novel mathematical model to study disagreements about adequate knowledge utilization, like those regarding wild horse culling, shark drumlines and facemask policies during pandemics. We find that, when stakeholders disagree, it is frequently impossible to tell whether any party is at fault. We demonstrate the need for a distinctive kind of transparency in evidence-based policymaking, which we call transparency of reasoning. Such transparency is critical to the success of the evidence-based policy movement, as without it, we will be unable to tell whether in any instance a policy was in fact based on evidence.
Science-policy research collaborations need philosophers
[first author, with many authors, Correspondence in Nature Human Behaviour]
‘Wicked problems’ are tricky to solve because of their many interconnected components and a lack of any single optimal solution. At the science-policy interface, all problems can look wicked: research exposes the complexity that is relevant to designing, executing and implementing policy fit for ambitious human needs. Expertise in philosophical research can help to navigate that complexity.
Examining self-described policy-relevant evidence base for policymaking: an evidence map of COVID-19 literature
[with many authors, BMJ Public Health (open access)]
Background Evidence-based policymaking is a paradigm aimed at increasing the use of evidence by actors involved in policymaking processes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a heavy reliance on emerging evidence for policymaking during emergencies. Objective This study describes the focus and types of evidence in journal articles self-described as relevant to policymaking using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, identifying gaps in evidence and highlighting author stated perceived biases specifically in evidence-based policy making. Design Evidence mapping. […] Conclusions The evidence map identified the need for an interdisciplinary policy approach involving relevant stakeholders and driven by quality research as a progressive step towards prevention of future public health crises/pandemics.