What makes evidence-based policy making such a useful myth? The case of NICE guidance on bariatric surgery in the United Kingdom

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Boswell, John
• 署名单位: University of Southampton
• 刊物名称: GOVERNANCE-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND INSTITUTIONS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0952-1895
• DOI: 10.1111/gove.12285
• 发表日期: 2018
• 关键词: legitimation

摘要

There is widespread skepticism among policy scholars and practitioners about the move to rationalize policy making: The naive vision of evidence-based policy is often contrasted with the reality of policy-based evidence. Yet, the language of evidence-based policy making (EBPM) continues to dominate policy debate about complex and contested issues. In this paper, I explore this apparent paradox by looking at what makes EBPM such a useful myth for all sorts of policy actors. I do so with reference to the pioneering work of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), focusing specifically on its work in relation to bariatric surgery, a suite of controversial and drastic weight loss procedures. I show that the myth of EBPM has political, pragmatic, and procedural utility in practice, allowing the organization to set and administer guidelines on this uncertain, complex, and contested treatment in ways that sustain buy-in and enable ongoing contestation.