LIST OF PANELS

Policy is traditionally understood as a rational process; i.e., crafting rules and authorities to attain formal objectives. In this panel, we view policy from a different perspective: the working and reworking of relationships among interdependent policy actors engaged in complex, dynamic and emergent networks. Recent scholarship has begun to systematically explore what relationality means in policy and public administration (e.g., Bartels and Turnbull, 2019; Lejano, 2020; Stout and Love, 2015; Taufen and Olsen, 2020). However, more needs to be done to clearly articulate the nature, value and identity of a relational approach for studying public policy and administration. Therefore, this panel seeks to further explore how a relational approach provides new ways of understanding policy process and new modes of analyzing policy. Given the great diversity of relational approaches, we take a broad, inclusive view of what constitutes a relational approach at a conceptual and methodological level. At the same time, viewing policy situations from a relational point of view should afford new insights into how and why policies are and could be changed. Hence, we aim to further conceptualize relationality and see how the relational ethic/analytic is realized in different policy situations (e.g., addressing disparities, sustainable governance). Questions to be taken up:

i. What is relationality, particularly in the realm of public policy, and how do we describe it?
ii. What modes of analysis can uncover the relational dimension in policy situations and processes?
iii. What changes in policy systems and practices evolve from taking a relational view?

Recent scholarship has brought to the fore new, relational perspectives on public policy. But these perspectives are underpinned by many diverging interests, assumptions, and agendas, leading to diverse interpretations on what the "relational" means. So, what is relationality, especially as realized in policy theory and practice? What difference does a relational perspective make in how we analyze, design, practice or understand policy? The co-chairs of this panel invite papers on different aspects of relationality in policy life. . What theoretical, analytical and methodological lenses do you bring to the task of uncovering the relational? What is a relational approach to policy for? That is, what are its normative aspirations and value for a world beset by social, political, economic, and environmental challenges? We also seek papers on how a relational perspective manifests itself in concrete policy situations. If relationality is an important aspect of policy life, then what difference does it make in how we design and enact policies and institutions? Do relational approaches and capacities require the presence and reliability of more traditional socio-political structures? And how can more fruitful relationships and systemic, relational change be fostered? Interested scholars can, if they want, contact co-chairs, Koen Bartels (k.p.r.bartels@bham.ac.uk), Anne Taufen (atw5@uw.edu), and Raul Lejano (lejano@nyu.edu) prior to submitting paper proposals.

Works Cited:

Bartels, K., & Turnbull, N. (2019). Relational public administration: a synthesis and heuristic classification of relational approaches. Public Management Review, 1-23.
Lejano, R. (2020). "Relationality: An alternative framework for describing policy," Journal of Public Policy, 1-24 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X20000057.
Stout, M., & Love, J. M. (2015). Relational process ontology: A grounding for global governance. Administration & Society, 47(4), 447-481.

Taufen, A. & Olson, A. (2020). “Practice-Based Politicization: Planning Reports as Actants in a University-Community Partnership,” Journal of Planning Education and Research, 1-12 
https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X20945378