Suchergebnisse

This article argues the study of traditions is an integral part of the human sciences and then concentrates on how to study traditions. In section 1, we outline a pragmatic approach to traditions, before illustrating our case in section 2 by analysing three features of British government - public sector reform, Thatcherism and joined-up governance. We seek to show it is possible to decenter the idea of tradition and analyse traditions at several levels. Finally, in section 3, we discuss the problems posed when analysing traditions at different levels of generality; including, reifying traditions, essentialism, identifying traditions, and creating traditions.

This article seeks to place the study of British government in a broader context by exploring the potential contribution of an anti-foundational epistemology. We seek to 'reinvent' a self-conscious, sceptical and tentative approach rooted in philosophy and history. The first section defines the Westminster model and the family of linked narratives: traditional sceptics, social science, radical theory, new public management. The second section outlines an anti-foundational epistemology, focusing on the notions of traditions, narratives, decentering and dilemmas. The third section applies this approach to one prominent school of thought about British government: policy networks. We argue that an anti-foundational approach will decenter networks, shifting the locus of analysis from the institutions to individuals, and focus on dilemmas to explain how networks change. Finally, we conclude there is no essentialist account of British government, only complex and diverse narratives, and no tool kit for solving problems, only lessons drawn from many stories.

This article seeks to place the study of British government in a broader context by exploring the potential contribution of an anti-foundational epistemology. We seek to 'reinvent' a self-conscious, sceptical and tentative approach rooted in philosophy and history. The first section defines the Westminster model and the family of linked narratives: traditional sceptics, social science, radical theory, new public management. The second section outlines an anti-foundational epistemology, focusing on the notions of traditions, narratives, de-centering and dilemmas. The third section applies this approach to one prominent school of thought about British government: policy networks. We argue that an anti-foundational approach will decenter networks, shifting the locus of analysis from the institutions to individuals, and focus on dilemmas to explain how networks change. Finally, we conclude there is no essentialist account of British government, only complex and diverse narratives, and no tool kit for solving problems, only lessons drawn from many stories.

Abstract. This paper is the product of a collaborative, comparative study of nine policy areas in British Government. It does not describe these several policy areas but summarises recent theoretical discussions in Britain of the concept of policy networks; provides a typology which encompasses the variety identified in the individual, detailed case studies; discusses a set of key problems in the analysis of networks; and identifies some directions for future research.

Der Beitrag faßt zunächst die jüngste theoretische Diskussion in England über die Konzepte der "policy communities" und "policy networks" zusammen. Basierend auf sowohl diesen Diskussionsergebnissen als auch auf einer Serie von neun Fallstudien über "policy networks" innerhalb der britischen Regierung wird eine Netzwerk-Typologie präsentiert. Im Anschluß werden Schlüsselprobleme in der Analyse von Netzwerken identifiziert und Fragen zum Nutzen des Netzwerk-Ansatzes formuliert. Schließlich werden neue Untersuchungsrichtungen und zukünftige Forschungsfragen benannt. (AuD-Ber)

Discussions of core executive operations in Britain have focused on a limited controversy about whether monocratic control is exercised by the premier or whether more collegial decision making persists in Cabinet. An extended typology of institutionalist views is examined, including the prime ministerial clique interpretation, models of ministerial government, segmented decision making, and bureaucratic coordination. This restricted debate reflects normative anxieties about Britain's unbalanced constitution, party‐structured legislature and an inadequate rational policy process inside the executive. New directions for core executive research are examined, including the analysis of decisional studies, more disaggregated and differentiated accounts of the core executive, coalition politics in the core executive, and the analysis of leadership influences.