Premium
Conceptualising the policy engagement of interest groups: Involvement, access and prominence
Author(s) -
HALPIN DARREN R.,
FRAUSSEN BERT
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
european journal of political research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.267
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1475-6765
pISSN - 0304-4130
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6765.12194
Subject(s) - clarity , variety (cybernetics) , politics , work (physics) , public relations , interest group , political science , conceptual framework , conceptual model , sociology , positive economics , epistemology , economics , social science , law , computer science , engineering , mechanical engineering , biochemistry , chemistry , philosophy , artificial intelligence
While much progress has been made in empirically mapping and analysing a variety of interest group activities in the last decade, less attention has been devoted to conceptual work that clearly defines and distinguishes different forms of policy engagement. This article contributes to this endeavour by developing a theoretical framework that explicitly links currently available measures of the policy engagement of groups to the distinct concepts of group involvement, access and prominence. It argues that greater conceptual clarity will lead to better accumulation of knowledge in the sub‐field and a better understanding of the role of interest groups in political systems.