LIST OF PANELS

Notoriously studying "public policy" has meant both: a) the study of how things have been done or should have been done; b) the study for supporting policymakers.   Some argues that the latter meaning is less "scientific research" than the former.   Is that the case?   Papers are invited to tackel the following questions by means of theoretical and empirical approches. Different profiles and aspects can be chosen out of the following questions (some of the many that can be raised on the issue):   - How the difference between research "of" and research "for" policy might determine methodology approach to the research project? - Under what conditions can policy research be autonomus? - How and by who can/should this kind of research be financed? - What differences are there between a policy researcher and a practicioner, if any? - How can policy research be not only useful, but also usable? - What is "evidence" in policy advise? And how can it be realised? - How this preliminary decision, between research for or of policy, determine the methodolgy and the approach of research? - At what conditions will policy research be autonous, maintening its empirical and scientific nature? - How and by who should this kind of reserch be financed? - What differences are there between a policy resercher and a practicioner, if any?    

The panel aims at defining from an epistemological point of view what is the nature of policy reseach.