CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Special Issue on
Complex Policy Design: Current Innovations in Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application

Eds. Saba Siddiki, Matia Vannoni, and Chris Koski

Purpose: Scholars increasingly acknowledge that how policies are designed shapes how they are interpreted and implemented, as well as how effective they ultimately are. Complexity in policy design -- relayed through the depth and breadth of policy provisions, rule detail, actor involvement, oversight mechanisms, and institutional arrangements -- remains one central yet underexplored feature of policy design. This special issue invites contributions that advance the study of complex policy design across theoretical and methodological approaches.

Rationale: Policy design entails trade-offs. Simpler designs are easier to understand and implement but may overlook necessary nuances, especially in technical or uncertain contexts. More complex designs can enhance oversight, incorporate diverse perspectives, and enable context-sensitive decisions, but they may also slow processes and raise coordination costs. Understanding how policymakers navigate these trade-offs is key.

While existing research addresses related themes, such as delegation, oversight, and polycentricity, the study of complexity in policy design remains fragmented and often centred on specific national contexts, particularly the United States. Key questions persist around how to conceptualize, measure, and assess the effects of policy complexity across settings. At the same time, the growing availability of digital policy texts and advances in computational analysis open new avenues for systematically identifying and measuring complexity.

Submission:

We welcome submissions for this special issue that:

- Clarify what complexity in policy design means in theory and practice;

- Develop and apply frameworks to explain causes and consequences of complex policy design;

- Propose rigorous methods to measure and analyze complexity;

- Explore domains where complexity is especially salient.

Related contributions are also encouraged.

By bringing together diverse perspectives, the special issue aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue, deepen understanding of complex policy design, and offer practical insights for policymakers.

Interested authors should submit an abstract of up to 500 words that outlines the central question(s) that will be addressed in their contributed paper and shows how the paper contributes to better understanding of policy theory, methods, and practice.

Please send abstracts to ssiddiki@syr.edu by June 1, 2026. The deadline for submission of full papers to Policy Design and Practice will be October 1, 2026. Include "Proposal for Special Issue on Complex Policy Design" in the email subject line.