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Causality and Public Policy

Authors

  • Ivan Ribeiro Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

Keywords:

Causal mechanisms, policy outcomes, law and public policy, evidence-based policymaking

Abstract

The exploration of causal relationships in public policy analysis is necessary for comprehending the efficacy of government interventions. Bucci (2013) proposed examining individual cases to infer the effectiveness of legal and regulatory frameworks, emphasizing the importance of developing suitable methodologies to advance research in the field. We suggest that shifting the focus to policy outcomes and delving into both the underlying mechanisms and the generating models responsible for these outcomes enhances our understanding of how policies generate impacts.

An examination of these causal mechanisms, whether explicit or implicit, provides researchers with valuable information into how policies unfold and achieve desired objectives. This analytical approach requires clear and transparent explanations, consideration of contextual factors, and an understanding of the intricate feedback loops and interactions that influence policy effects. By acknowledging the diversity and complexity of these mechanisms, researchers can better comprehend the dynamic and sometimes nonlinear nature of political processes, facilitating a more comprehensive analysis of policies.

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Author Biography

Ivan Ribeiro, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

Coordenador e pesquisador principal do Centro de Estudos da Ordem Econômico (CEOE/Unifesp), Professor de Direito e Políticas Públicas da Universidade Federal de São Paulo e Senior Research Scholar da Universidade de Yale. Professor Colaborador e Orientador de Pós-graduação stricto sensu da Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UniRio). Orcid: 0000-0003-4706-7408. Lattes: http://lattes.cnpq.br/1537678142289537. Id SSRN: 333021.

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Published

2024-03-14

Versions

How to Cite

RIBEIRO, I. (2024). Causality and Public Policy. Law and Public Policy Review, 4(2). Retrieved from https://seer.unirio.br/rdpp/article/view/13167