On 29 January, EPRC hosted a seminar by Paul Cairney, Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Stirling, on the subject of theoretical approaches in policy research.
Paul's discussion considered the potential and the challenges presented by the combination of multiple policy theories. Issues were examined on the basis of three main approaches.
- In the synthesis approach, the production of one theory is based on the insights of multiple theories.
- The complementary approach uses different theories to produce a range of insights or explanations.
- The contradictory approach compares the insights of theories before choosing a small number over others.
These approaches highlight the potential for theoretical comparison to develop an improved understanding of policy practice, but also raise questions about the complexity of using scientific and other criteria to describe some theories as more useful than others.