LIST OF PANELS

Academic literature discusses the importance of identity of state and non-state actors in policy making (Pande 2003; Duflo and Chattopadhyay 2004; Shammama and Brazys 2024). It further highlights the differential impact of policy depending on the identity group an individual belongs to. Given this context, this panel seeks to advance a deeper understanding of identity as a determinant of policy-making, implementation, and policy outcomes.

It asks how the social identity of state and non-state actors shape agenda setting, issue framing, policy implementation and the impact of policies across groups. The two broad questions it is focused on are: (i) understanding how the social identity of policy actors shapes policy-making (ii) how the consequences of policies differ across identity groups.

By centering Global South contexts and encouraging interdisciplinary and methodological innovation, the panel contributes to the scientific study of inclusive policy processes and provides both analytical and practical insights into how the social identity of individuals influences governance.

Identity shapes how policy actors perceive problems, prioritize solutions, and react to policies across institutional contexts. Yet, identity is often treated as a demographic descriptor in scholarship and practice, rather than a dynamic force that actively influences the making, implementation, and outcomes of policies. This panel invites contributions that explore how identity, particularly gender, caste, and religious identity, shapes policy processes and outcomes, with a focus on contexts in the Global South.

We encourage submissions that study the consequences of identity across stages of the policy cycle. Relevant questions include, but are not limited to:

(i) How do identities of both state and non-state actors influence agenda setting, problem framing, and choice of policy instruments to address a policy problem?

(ii) What are some prescriptive ways in which inclusivity can be fostered at the stage of policy making?

(iii) In what ways do the identities of policy implementers affect equity in policy outcomes?

(iv) How does the impact of a particular policy differ across identity groups? 

The panel invites both empirical and theoretical papers that use interdisciplinary approaches. Contributions may address diverse policy domains (e.g., social, economic) and geographic contexts, and adopt qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. We especially look forward to the use of innovative data or methods to address these questions.

By building a conversation about identity’s role in policy processes, this panel aims to deepen understanding of how identity dynamics contribute to both policy conceptualization and implementation across settings. Through this discussion, it aims to contribute to the global discourse regarding inclusivity at all stages of the policy process.