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Rediscovering the Civic and Achieving Better Outcomes in Public Policy

Grant reference: RES-177-25-0002

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Journal article details

Expanding the use of experiments on civic behaviour : experiments with local government as a research partner
Despite the acknowledged benefits of experimental methods and interest in evidence-based policy, there have been very few attempts to undertake experiments at a local level in co-operation with policy makers and public service providers. This paper discusses the challenges of implementing and delivering experiments in these contexts, drawing on four successfully completed experiments, two current experiments and referring to four proposed experiments which did not take place. The completed and on-going experiments investigated: increasing household recycling, internet deliberation, changing children’s environmental attitudes, community support to drug users, pledging to donate to charity; and the response of councilors to interest groups. The paper concludes by assessing the benefits of co-produced field experiments against the challenges, and argues that, overall, co-production has the potential to expand the scope, range and depth of possible experiments, improve access to citizens and to data, and leads to research that is more credible to policy makers.
http://ann.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/628/1/148
Abstract
English

Primary contributor

Author Sarah Cotterill

Additional contributors

Author Liz Richardson

Keywords

civic behaviour; field experiments; local government; partnerships; difficulties of implementation; politics; economics; evidence-based policy; policy; policy making; public services

Additional details

628
1
Yes
0002-7162
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/sagechoice.sp
SAGE Publications
01 January 2010
148-164
Postprint
The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science

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