TY - CHAP
T1 - Evidence as enlightenment versus evidence as certainty
T2 - Appropriate uses of evaluative information to inform policy in a post-truth world
AU - Boyle, Richard
AU - Redmond, Sean
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 selection and editorial matter, Mita Marra, Karol Olejniczak, and Arne Paulson; individual chapters, the contributors.
PY - 2024/1/1
Y1 - 2024/1/1
N2 - In this chapter, we examine the role of evaluative information in providing evidence when dealing with complex policy problems where “truth” is often contested. We argue that the incrementalism often practiced by policy officials offers an effective route toward creeping enlightenment. This is particularly the case when supported by a shared approach to the generation, dissemination, and use of evaluative information by evaluators, policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. We look at two policy areas in Ireland where approaches to the use of evaluative information are being developed focused more on incrementalism and creeping enlightenment: youth justice, in particular the world of organized crime networks, and water governance, where an experimental governance approach is being taken to address improving water quality. We identify important lessons around how to bring together the craft knowledge held by practitioners and policymakers, the experiential knowledge of stakeholders, and the evidential knowledge of evaluators to best effect.
AB - In this chapter, we examine the role of evaluative information in providing evidence when dealing with complex policy problems where “truth” is often contested. We argue that the incrementalism often practiced by policy officials offers an effective route toward creeping enlightenment. This is particularly the case when supported by a shared approach to the generation, dissemination, and use of evaluative information by evaluators, policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. We look at two policy areas in Ireland where approaches to the use of evaluative information are being developed focused more on incrementalism and creeping enlightenment: youth justice, in particular the world of organized crime networks, and water governance, where an experimental governance approach is being taken to address improving water quality. We identify important lessons around how to bring together the craft knowledge held by practitioners and policymakers, the experiential knowledge of stakeholders, and the evidential knowledge of evaluators to best effect.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85191231507&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4324/9781032719979-4
DO - 10.4324/9781032719979-4
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:85191231507
SN - 9781032719313
SP - 37
EP - 56
BT - Evaluation in the Post-Truth World
PB - Taylor and Francis
ER -