[EQ] Political Science? Strengthening science-policy dialogue in developing countries

Political Science? Strengthening science–policy dialogue in developing countries

 

Nicola Jones, Harry Jones and Cora Walsh

ODI Working Paper 294 - August 2008

Overseas Development Institute - London UK

Results of ODI research presented in preliminary form for discussion and critical comment

 

Available online PDF [67p.] at: http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp294.pdf

 

“…..Science and technology are playing an increasingly important role in the policy process. The value of science and technological information is already well-established in the fields of health, agriculture and natural resource management, but issues such as climate change, food security and biotechnology have recently attracted a high profile in international policy debates about sustainable development and poverty reduction. These trends are set against a background of increasing international interest in and rhetorical commitment to evidence-informed policy dialogue and processes as a means to improve development policy and practice. Surprisingly, however, there is a dearth of research that systematically examines the science–policy interface in developing countries. Even fewer analysts have sought to offer practical strategies and recommendations for strengthening linkages between scientific knowledge and the policy process.

 

This study focuses on three broad questions:
- What is the patterning of relationships between scientific researchers, policy decision-makers and intermediaries in developing country contexts?
- What are the challenges and opportunities for strengthening these linkages?
- What types of strategies exist or could potentially be adopted to improve evidence-informed policy processes?

 

Representing the views of over 600 respondents from researcher, policy-maker and intermediary organisation communities from the North and South, the findings confirm the need to tackle systemic barriers to institutionalising evidence-informed policy processes in the field of science, technology and innovation for development. They also shed light on ways in which the quality of policy dialogues on science and technology could be strengthened in order to enhance their value for pro-poor sustainable development policy and practice….”

 

“…This study provides a multi-layered analysis of the science?policy interface in developing countries. The findings confirm the need to tackle systemic barriers to institutionalising evidence-informed policy processes in the field of science, technology and innovation for development. They also shed light on ways in which the quality of policy dialogues on science and technology could be strengthened in order to enhance their value for pro-poor sustainable development policy and practice…”

 

Contents

Executive summary

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

2.1 Literature review

2.2 Expert interviews

2.3 Country case studies

2.4 Internal electronic survey

3. The science–policy interface: Taking stock of the literature

3.1 Characterising the science–policy interface

3.2 Strategies for engaging at the science–policy interface

4. The science–policy interface in the developing world: Triangulating new evidence

4.1 Tensions across the science–policy boundary

4.2 Strategies

5. Conclusions

References

Appendix 1: Literature review methods

Appendix 2: Country case questionnaire

Appendix 3: ODI/SciDev.Net electronic international survey on the science–development policy interface

  

 

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