Call for proposals – Young scholars panels
International Conference
Policy instruments: theoretical perspectives
January 6-8, 2011, Sciences Po, Paris
Convenors: Charlotte Halpern (Pacte/IEP Grenoble, FNSP), Pierre Lascoumes (Sciences Po/CEE, CNRS), Patrick Le Galès (Sciences Po/CEE, CNRS)
Policy instruments have been back into fashion for some time now. The analysis of public policy through the lenses of their instruments was developed in the 1970s in a somewhat functionalist perspective, linking the choice and combination of policy instruments with the evolution of policy objectives. Since the 1990s, various perspectives on government techniques have been explored, and this initial project continues, more or less explicitly, with the work done on new modes of governance.
However, this approach to government techniques is only one of several interesting avenues for research: it is related to and somewhat different from the sociology of organisations and bureaucracy, from the study of scientific and technical innovations, of cognitive systems, and of the relationship between policy instruments and power relations.
This international conference aims at bringing together leading scholars that focus on policy instruments by confronting different approaches. Despite contrasted disciplinary and theoretical origins, these authors share a common interest on policy instruments as a relevant methodological perspective. Indeed, analysing regulation activities by focusing on the choice and combination of policy instruments, i.e. instrumentation, allows, on the one hand, to adopt a fresh perspective on this empirical phenomena (vs. actors-, interests- or institutions- centred perspectives), and on the other hand, to identify less visible (or invisible) dynamics and forms of mobilisations, as well as unintended effects.
Alongside these plenary sessions, a series of panels will be organised, in order to allow younger scholars to present ongoing research projects and / or PhDs. These young scholars’ panels will offer an opportunity to confront different theoretical approaches and to question the added value of a policy instrument perspective to regulation activities. Participants will be expected to send a written contribution (30.000 signs) prior to the conference.
Proposals linking the analysis of a specific case study with theoretical and / or methodological thoughts are encouraged. These proposals should not exceed 500 words and should be sent before October 15, 2010 to:
charlotte.halpern@???
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Charlotte Halpern
FNSP Researcher
PACTE - Sciences Po Recherche
IEP de Grenoble
BP 48 38040
Grenoble Cedex 9
Tel : + 33 (0) 4 76 82 60 74
E-mail: charlotte.halpern@???
Page Web :
http://www.pacte.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article1862
