Uncertainty in policy making : values and evidence in complex decisions / Michael Heazle and Paul Pillar.
2012
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Details
Author
Title
Uncertainty in policy making : values and evidence in complex decisions / Michael Heazle and Paul Pillar.
Added Corporate Author
Edition
First edition.
Imprint
Boca Raton, FL : Routledge, an imprint of Taylor and Francis, [2012].
Copyright
©2010.
Description
1 online resource (204 pages).
Series
Earthscan science in society series.
Formatted Contents Note
chapter 1 Introduction: A Story of (Irrational) Great Expectations
chapter 2 Policy Making and Specialist Advice: Concepts and Approaches
chapter 3 Empowering Nightmares: Uncertainty and the Precautionary Principle
chapter 4 Legitimizing the Iraq Intervention: Threat Inflation Versus Precaution
chapter 5 Climate Change and the Politics of Precaution
chapter 6 Uncertainty, Ideology and the Politics of Denial
chapter 7 Revealing Values and Uncertainty in Policy Debate
chapter 8 Alternative Responses to Uncertainty: Bringing Politics Back in
chapter 9 Uncertainty as Deus ex Machina: Some Concluding Remarks.
chapter 2 Policy Making and Specialist Advice: Concepts and Approaches
chapter 3 Empowering Nightmares: Uncertainty and the Precautionary Principle
chapter 4 Legitimizing the Iraq Intervention: Threat Inflation Versus Precaution
chapter 5 Climate Change and the Politics of Precaution
chapter 6 Uncertainty, Ideology and the Politics of Denial
chapter 7 Revealing Values and Uncertainty in Policy Debate
chapter 8 Alternative Responses to Uncertainty: Bringing Politics Back in
chapter 9 Uncertainty as Deus ex Machina: Some Concluding Remarks.
Summary
Uncertainty in Policy Making explores how uncertainty is interpreted and used by policy makers, experts and politicians. It argues that conventional notions of rational, evidence-based policy making - hailed by governments and organisations across the world as the only way to make good policy - is an impossible aim in highly complex and uncertain environments; the blind pursuit of such a 'rational' goal is in fact irrational in a world of competing values and interests. 1. Introduction: A Story of (Irrational) Great Expectations2: Policy Making and Specialist Advice: Concepts and Approaches3: Empowering Nightmares: Uncertainty and the Precautionary Principle4: Legitimizing the Iraq Intervention: Threat Inflation versus Precaution5: Climate Change and the Politics of Precaution6: Uncertainty, Ideology, and the Politics of Denial7: Revealing Values and Uncertainty in Policy Debate8: Alternative Responses to Uncertainty: Bringing Politics Back in9: Uncertainty as Deus Ex Machina: Some Concluding RemarksAbbreviationsAcknowledgementsBibliographyNotesThe book centres around two high-profile and important case studies: the Iraq war and climate change policy in the US, UK and Australia. Based on three years' research, including interviews with experts such as Hans Blix, Paul Pillar, and Brian Jones, these two case studies show that the treatment of uncertainty issues in specialist advice is largely determined by how well the advice fits with or contradicts the policy goals and orientation of the policy elite. Instead of allowing the debates to be side-tracked by arguments over whose science or expert advice is 'more right', we must accept that uncertainty in complex issues is unavoidable and recognise the values and interests that lie at the heart of the issues. The book offers a 'hedging' approach which will enable policy makers to manage rather than eliminate uncertainty.
Location
www
Available in Other Form
Print version:
Linked Resources
Alternate Title
Taylor & Francis Online
Language
English
ISBN
9781136530333 (e-book) (PDF) (e-book : PDF)
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