New Theories of the Policy Process

A 2009 special issue of the Policy Studies Journal (PSJ) showcased the latest scholarship on the most established theories of the policy process (Eller & Krutz, 2009). In subsequent years, the journal published three additional special issues, each of which highlighted a single approach including the institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework (Blomquist & deLeon, 2011), the advocacy coalition framework (Weible et al., 2011), and the punctuated equilibrium theory (Jones & Baumgartner, 2012). As a collection, the four special issues exhibited the theoretical maturation, empirical breadth, and methodological sophistication of some of the most established theories of the policy process. Arguably, these four special issues reinforced the status quo by offering the established theories an exclusive outlet to further advance their research programs. Assuming each theory offers a single lens of the policy process, could a collection of theories offer a collective lens that bound consciously or unconsciously the questions asked, the concepts studied, the measurements used, and the hypotheses tested? If critical thinking involves recognizing assumptions, seeing the world from different perspectives, and questioning causal relations, then could the established theories— while certainly benefiting the study of the policy process for decades—limit the diversity and quality of scholarship? While asking these questions is essential, we could only speculate about the answers. To move beyond speculation, we offer a collection of new theories that present different perspectives on the policy process and, perhaps, will help advance the scholarship into the future. These six new theories include: