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Policy Research and Practice. Ratna M. Sudarshan ISST, New Delhi Dec 12, 2008. The Scope of ‘Policy Research’. Evidence based analysis on questions of policy relevance Includes evaluations of programme outcomes
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Policy Research and Practice Ratna M. Sudarshan ISST, New Delhi Dec 12, 2008
The Scope of ‘Policy Research’ • Evidence based analysis on questions of policy relevance • Includes evaluations of programme outcomes • Various forms of communicating findings other than academic publications – policy briefs, presentations, etc • (wider scope than just ‘research’)
The environment of policy research • Policy research organisations/ ‘think tanks’ • Private consulting firms • Market research organisations • University academics (some?) • NGOs • Individual activists and researchers
Implications of dispersed R2P environment • ‘Social engagement’ as well as ‘relevance’ in research • Activists seeking to influence both research and policy agenda (eg informal economy) • Questioning technocratic research methods, favouring mixed methods, giving value to field insights and experience • New ‘protocols’ with researchers and activists working in partnership • Networks • As well as business models of research • And mainstream PROs
Complementarity Issues/ social engagement • Mainstream PROs and universities are the ‘formal sector’ in research • Experience and field based insights do not always reach this formal sector • Potential of NGO research is in • Creating a culture of research, democratising research • Integrating experience with scientific analysis
PROs, NGOs, Consultants • The ‘business model’ of research not in tune with values of either ‘academic research’ or ‘action based research’ • However often a means of survival especially in the NGO sector
Areas of conflict • Allocation of resources • Role of civil society in influencing policy • Independence and bias • Quality of research
Networks • Connecting researchers across space and location • Policy networks usually national although research/ practice networks increasingly international • Government initiated: PC WGs; PIN – NREGA • NGO led, with sectts – CBGA, ASER • Informal, issue or project based
Ways forward • Concentrate all PR into mainstream PROs • Support action based research organisations to undertake research on prioritised issues of concern • Support thematic networks including PROs, NGOs, etc • Support research in partnership with activists • other?