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Advancing knowledge,shaping policy, inspiring practice

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How legislators access research in some developing countries

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Ajoy Datta, Research Officer

8th December 2011

Rese

arch Politics

Technocratic networks

Ideological think tanks

Internal think tanks

UN/ifi think tanks

Public think tanks

Political parties

Lobbies

NGOs

corporations

Universities

Regulatory bodies

Executive

Think tanks

Values/ ideologies

Faith based think tanks

Faith leaders

Media (g)Media (t)

Legislature

Economic interests3

4

What I’m going to talk about

• Findings from a study on linkages between researchers and legislators– Objectives and methods– Formal linkages– Informal linkages

• Other resources

Study objectives and methods

• Increasing interest on the role of the legislature in promoting democratic governance

• Scope out how legislators access research

• Literature review and interviews with variety of informants + APC

• Diversity in income levels, political systems and traditions

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Formal linkages with researchers

In house capacity• Libraries• Information and research services• Scholars appointed to legislative committees• Legislature/committees with formal research agenda

and resources to commission studies

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Formal linkages with researchers

External links to technocratic capacity• Affiliated think tanks• Individual researchers

– Inputs to committee processes/help in drafting bills– Legislator scientist pairings (Uganda)

• External think tanks• Networks and platforms

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Formal linkages with intermediaries

• Individuals such as legislative staff including aides, assistants and advisors

• Research links with political parties• Organisations who are mandated to translate

academic research into key messages for legislators• Research Councils

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Informal links and personalised networks

• Hugely dominant and often provide basis for formal links

• Researchers called up on in a personal capacity• Based on high trust levels, strong relationships and

shared political affiliation• Knowledge products often intangible and dependent

on face to face contract• Faster information flows

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Future work

Strength of linkages in relation to:• Geographical focus• Political system• Type of legislature• Policy areas

Evaluation of linkages• impact on quality of policy debates in parliaments

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Other relevant studies

• Increasing amount of work studying policy processes and policymakers’ demand/use of evidence– Politics of research uptake in African policy debates

(forthcoming)– Political economy of policy making in Indonesia:

opportunities for increasing the demand for and use of knowledge (report available at http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5985&title=policy-making-political-economy-indonesia-knowledge

ODI is the UK’s leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues. We aim to inspire and inform policy and practice to reduce poverty by locking together high-quality applied research and practical policy advice.

The views presented here are those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the views of ODI or our partners.

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