Wicked Problems in Public Policy: Understanding and Responding to Complex Challenges

Description

Contents List of Figures Introduction 1 Debates in Public Policy—Problem Framing, Knowledge and Interests Introduction to Problem Framing Simple and Complex Problems Knowledge and Expertise for Policy Improvement Concluding Comments 2 The Rise of ‘Wicked Problems’—Uncertainty, Complexity and Divergence Introduction Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning The Diffusion of the Concept Linking Problem Types and Policy Responses Arguments for a Sliding Scale—Degrees of Intractability 3 Political Governance of Wicked Problems Introduction Governmental Responses to Wicked Problems—Seven Strategies Avoidance, Denial and Minimal Responsibility Coercive Controls Compartmentalised Micro-Management Technocratic Problem-Solving Incremental and Pragmatic Adjustment Stakeholder Collaboration Coping and Prevention Policies 4 Complexity, Crises and Coping Strategies Introduction Complexity Analysis for Public Policy Types of Crises Shaping Wicked Problems Strategic Risk Management—The Example of COVID-19 Prevention, Coping and Adaptive Strategies Conclusions: Coping with Complexity 5 Managing Environmental and Sustainability Challenges Introduction Integrated Policy Planning or Pluralist Innovation? Science and the Construction of Environmental Policy Issues Managing Risks—Precaution, Resilience and Environmental Standards Wicked Dimensions of Environmental Policymaking Climate Change as a Wicked Policy Arena Using Collaborative Approaches for Environment Policy 6 Improving Social Well-Being and Social Equity Introduction Contested Framings of Inequality Homelessness as a Wicked Problem Drugs Policy as a Wicked Problem Concluding Comment: Knowledge for Tackling Wicked Problems 7 Policy Innovation in Turbulent Times Introduction: Competing Sources of Policy Knowledge Innovation, Experimentation and Policy Transitions Regulating Innovation—The Digital Economy and Biotechnologies Partisanship and Populism in Public Policy References Index