Who Decides Social Policy?: Social Networks and the Political Economy of Social Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean

Description

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have made remarkable progress in improving the living conditions of their people since the 1990s. Poverty has declined by almost 50 percent, and average life expectancy has increased substantially, especially for children under the age of five. Most children now attend primary school, and three out of four start secondary education. These advances can be largely accounted for by two factors: the fast-paced economic growth of the early 2000s and the substantial expenditures for social programs in the region. However, the region's economic slowdown has halted the pace of improvement, and social policies have not been implemented consistently or effectively because of flaws in design and execution. These failings raise important questions. Who formulates social policy? What resources do actors bring to decision-making processes, and how do those resources position them within decision-making networks? These are not academic questions. The budget and economic constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic mean that public policies will have to be more efficient and effective while dealing with limited resources. Few analyses to date have focused on the process of formulating social policy, the social networks involved, the details of coordination among actors and organizations, and the institutional, normative, and operational factors that make policies likely to succeed—or fail. There has not been a comprehensive, systematic study of how social policy-making processes and coordination mechanisms—formal or informal— can make a difference in the operational effectiveness and impact of social policies. Who Decides Social Policy? Social Networks and the Political Economy of Social Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean attempts to fill this void. This book combines an institutional political economy approach to policy making with social network analysis of social policy formulation processes. Based on extensive interviews with governmental and nongovernmental actors, the case studies of social policy formulation in Argentina, The Bahamas, Bolivia, and Trinidad and Tobago show that while societal actors are central in the networks in South American countries, government officials are the main participants in the Caribbean countries. The comparative analysis of the networks of ideas, information, economic resources, and political power across these cases indicates that differences in the types of bureaucratic systems and governance structures may explain the diversity of actors with decision power and the resources used to influence social policy formulation across the region. These analytical and methodological contributions— combined with specific examples of policies and programs—will help to enhance the efficiency, efficacy, and sustainability of public policies in the social arena. Front Cover Contents Acknowledgments About the Authors Abbreviations 1 Social Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean Progress and Persistent Challenges in the Social Sector Political Economy and Social Network Analysis: A Two-Pronged Approach to Social Policy Making Understanding Actor Networks from Policy Design through Execution Structure and Content of the Book Notes References 2 The Political Economy of Public Policy: From Institutions to Social Networks Beyond the Social Planner: Determinants of Social Policy The Role of Actors The Actors in the Social Policy–Making Process The Role of Social Networks The Value of SNA for the Political Economy Analysis of Social Policy Making References 3 Social Network Analysis: Basic Toolkit and Research Design Basic Concepts of SNA Research Design References 4 Who Decides Social Policy in Argentina? A Social Network Analysis The Formal Social Policy Formulation Process The Whole Network of Social Policy Formulation in Argentina The Network of Ideas The Network of Information The Network of Resources The Network of Power Summary and Conclusions Notes References 5 Social Policy Formulation at the Central Level of Government: The Case of Bolivia The Social Policy–Making Process in Bolivia: What the Formal Structure Shows The Social Policy–Making Process: What Social Network Analysis Shows Summary and Conclusions Note References 6 Social Policy Formulation in the Caribbean: The Cases of The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Formal Structure of the Policy-Making Processes in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Whole Network of Social Policy Formulation in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Networks of Ideas in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Networks of Information in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Networks of Resources in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago The Networks of Power in The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago Summary and Conclusions Notes References 7 Comparing Social Policy Formulation Networks in Latin America and the Caribbean The Networks of Social Policy Formulation across Countries Macroinstitutional Factors Microinstitutional Factors Conclusion Note References 8 Social Networks and the Political Economy of Social Policy Making Social Networks and Social Policy–Making Processes Social Networks in the Political Economy of Social Policy Making Social Network Analysis, Political Institutions, and Economic Development Social Network Analysis: Scope, Limitations, and Research Agenda What Social Network Analysis Adds to the Process References Appendix A Whole Networks of Social Policy Formulation for Country Case Studies Appendix B Interview Guide Figures Figure 2.1: PMP Results and Public Policy Quality, Latin America and the Caribbean versus the Rest of the World Figure 3.1: Graph Representation of a Dyad, Triad, and Clique Figure 3.2: Density and Distance of a Network Figure 4.1: The Formal Network of Social Policy Formulation, Argentina Figure 4.2: Whole Network of Social Policy Formulation, Argentina Figure 4.3: Network of Ideas in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Argentina Figure 4.4: Information Network in the Argentine Social Policy Formulation Process Figure 4.5: Resources Network in the Argentine Social Policy Formulation Process Figure 4.6: Network of Power in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Argentina Figure 5.1: Regular Process of Social Policy Initiatives, Bolivia Figure 5.2: The Actual Network of Social Policy Making at the Central Level of Government, Bolivia Figure 5.3: Social Policy Ideas Network at the Central Level of Government, Bolivia Figure 5.4: Social Policy Information Network at the Central Level of Government, Bolivia Figure 5.5: Network of Economic Resources in the Social Policy Formulation Process at the Central Level of Government, Bolivia Figure 5.6: Network of Political Power over the Social Policy Formulation Process at the Central Level of Government, Bolivia Figure 6.1: Formal Policy-Making Process, The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago Figure 6.2: Whole Network of Social Policy Formulation, The Bahamas Figure 6.3: Whole Network of Social Policy Formulation, Trinidad and Tobago Figure 6.4: Network of Ideas in the Social Policy Formulation Process, The Bahamas Figure 6.5: Network of Ideas in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Trinidad and Tobago Figure 6.6: Network of Information in the Social Policy Formulation Process, The Bahamas Figure 6.7: Network of Information in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Trinidad and Tobago Figure 6.8: Network of Resources in the Social Policy Formulation Process, The Bahamas Figure 6.9: Network of Resources in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Trinidad and Tobago Figure 6.10: Network of Power in the Social Policy Formulation Process, The Bahamas Figure 6.11: Network of Power in the Social Policy Formulation Process, Trinidad and Tobago Tables Table 2.1: Ranking of Desirable Characteristics of Public Policies, by Region Table 7.1: Comparative Characteristics of Social Policy Formulation Networks, Selected Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean