As published in the Volume 2(1) of Ramjas Poltical Review
Abstract
The larger understanding of political will is an established theoretical work in political science, and has seen recent integration into the public policy theoretical frameworks, worth mentioning is Dr Manazir’s article, ‘Reimagining Public Policy Formulation and Analysis: A Comprehensive Theoretical Framework for Public Policy.’ In this review article of his work, the political will of governing elites, as postulated by Dr Manazir, is revisited and critically analysed by applying a feminist lens drawn from Dr Devaki Jain’s seminal work, ‘To Be or Not to Be: Problems in Locating Women in Public Policy.’
While Manazir's framework adeptly critiques traditional policy cycles and emphasises political will's role in policy disruption and non-linear development, this analysis highlights the gendered implications of such an approach, which he has not touched upon. By juxtaposing Manazir’s focus on elite-driven political will with Jain’s critique of women's marginalisation in public policy, this review reveals the gaps in addressing gender equity in the formulation and implementation of public policies caused and practised due to male dominance, and predominance as governing elites.
This review from a feminist lens underscores the necessity for public policy frameworks to account for the diverse experiences and contributions of women, particularly in understanding how the political willingness of political elites can perpetuate or challenge systemic gender biases in policy formulation, implementation, and analysis, and why women participation in the process is important.
Keywords: Public Policy, Political Will, Gender Mainstreaming, Policy Formulation, Analysis.
Introduction
The research article ‘Reimagining Public Policy Formulation and Analysis: A Comprehensive Theoretical Framework for Public Policy’ by Dr Sharique Hassan Manazir, addresses the complexity of public policymaking by revisiting existing frameworks and proposing enhancements to capture the nuances of political and social dynamics.
The article begins with exposing the larger understanding of policy science, and how public policy as an academic field has evolved since the end of the Second World War with the work of esteemed scholars like Harold Lasswell. The research paper then analyses and critiques traditional policy cycle theories for ignoring the larger understanding of political willingness, and the non-linear nature of the policy-making process which is rarely discussed in the conventional policy theories. The paper argues that the frameworks, including Harold Lasswell’s Stage (Heuristic) Model, should not be viewed in isolation or as a universal solution. Moreover, one should incorporate the intricate interplay of political elites and their larger political will in shaping the policy process, formulation, and implementation. It emphasises the need for more theories in policy science that account for real-time data analysis and populist tendencies in governance. The article draws on historical and contemporary examples, such as Kautilya’s counsel to Chandragupta and modern big data techniques, to illustrate how policy formulation and analysis can be more responsive to current challenges.
The proposed public policy framework by the author seeks to integrate various stages of the policy cycle – problem identification, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation – while acknowledging the fluid and contested nature of policymaking in practice (Manazir, 2023).
Content Analysis
The author encourages the readers to understand the contemporary ontology of the policy formulation process and to recognise political willingness as a critical factor in shaping policy making. According to his proposed public policy framework, political willingness is crucial for the successful formulation, adoption, and implementation of policies — introducing non-linearity into the process. While the research does not delve deeply into the broader theoretical concepts of political elites and willingness, it is academically robust in its discussion of the historical context and the evolution of the policy process. Political willingness can be defined as the commitment and readiness of the political actors — such as elected officials, government leaders, and policymakers — to prioritise and implement specific policy initiatives, which is important at various stages of policy formulation; for instance, while prioritising policy agenda, during policy development of frameworks and strategies, and finally on resource allocation and adequate distribution of funding (Mujkić, 2015).
The political will of elites significantly affects the formulation and implementation of most policy-making processes. For instance, if the political elites possess a strong will to promote gender equality, they are more likely to introduce and support policies that address gender disparities. On the contrary, if the political willingness is male-dominated and inherently less inclusive, the end policy results are exclusionary.
The understanding of political elites and their impact on policy outcomes has been extensively explored through ‘Elite Theory’, pioneered by scholars such as Gaetano Mosca. According to Elite Theory, a small group of elites holds significant power and influence over political and social decisions. These elites shape policy outcomes based on their interests and priorities (O'Leary, 1987; Martinelli, 2009; UK, 2024). The theory posits that society is divided into a small ruling elite and a larger, less influential mass. The ‘ruling elites’ or the ‘political elites’ wield power in shaping public policy and governance (Delican, 2024).
Analysing the theories above, we conclude the impact of political elites on policy outcomes and policy issues based on the interests of political elites, which can be biassed and favoured according to their respective interests. Such prioritisation can not only affect public resources but can also determine the direction and content of certain policies. Furthermore, most of the time, political elites build coalitions and alliances to support their policy agendas. They also tend to shape public opinion and influence social issues. Thus, understanding the dynamics of political will and elite theory, from the review of Dr Manazir, not only helps to analyse public policy formulation and its implementation but also draws a larger picture of policy outcomes and the crucial role played in shaping certain policies for people at large.
Incorporating such insights in a framework can be valuable as well as impactful for a policymaker. The proposed framework by Dr Manazir, where political willingness takes centre stage across the public policy formulation cycle, bringing the process of non-linearity, can be well applied to understand social, political, economic, and demographic non-linearity in the policy process (Manazir, 2023). It shows how some inclusive policies are suddenly shelved, despite social outcry and how some exclusionary and regressive policies are implemented despite staunch opposition from the masses. Such a framework can also be used to understand gender dystopia and exclusion not only in policymaking as an avenue, but in policy outcomes that are inherently male-dominated, biassed, and exclusionary.
Comparative Analysis Through Feminist Lens
India’s Public Policy landscape is characterised by its diverse, complex, and evolving nature. India not only faces significant socio-economic disparities but has a large, fragmented political landscape, with multiple political parties and interest groups. Dr Manazir's public policy framework emphasises political willingness in continuous tandem with social inclusion and stakeholder engagement ensuring that marginalised communities have a meaningful voice in the policy process.
Over here, the work ‘To be or not to be: Problems in Locating Women in Public Policy’ by Dr Devaki Jain is worth mentioning. Her work focuses on the challenges of integrating women’s perspectives into public policy. Dr Jain argues how women have been systematically excluded from public policy formulation and implementation by tracing history and that the exclusion has been rooted in patriarchal societal structures for ages. The lack of female perspectives in policymaking leads to the creation of policies that fail to address the specific needs and issues faced by women. In her work, she has highlighted ‘paradoxes’ that remain for women in governance at the local level and development at the global level because most of the time, policies are decided and finalised in silos without involving women as an important stakeholder in the process, often leading to unintended consequences. She has shown how policies that do not include women’s input often lead to unintended negative consequences for women, and uses case studies from the districts of Karnataka to illustrate the practical implications of gender-blind policymaking. She further argues that “it is necessary to recast the development framework, to come out with a treatise, a theoretically stand-alone development model which satisfies the external world changes and yet women’s quest.” The author recommends several strategies for better inclusion of women in policy formulation. These include increasing female participation and representation in political and policy-making bodies, using gender-disaggregated data, and promoting gender mainstreaming in all policy areas. She concludes her writing by saying that “the importance of an intellectual theoretical construct out of the ground experience, which can claim space in the world of theoretical discourse, must not be minimised. A new Das Kapital or Wealth of Nations is the only bomb that can explode the patriarchal mindset and exclusion of real agency of women in public policy” (Jain, 2007).
Henceforth, in terms of the approach to public policy formulation and its analysis, we largely see that where Dr Manazir’s framework provided a broader, and more holistic approach to inclusive policymaking; Dr Devaki Jain focused on the specific challenges and recommendations of integrating women into public policy, mostly by gender mainstreaming and increasing women’s representation. However, it is true that both emphasise the importance of inclusivity and the use of data in public policymaking.
In my understanding, gendering public policy within the public policy framework proposed by Dr Manazir (focusing on political willingness), will involve several steps and considerations. Gender mainstreaming is about systematically integrating gender considerations into all aspects of policy development, implementation, and evaluation. Both Jain and Manazir stress the importance of people's participation and representation in policy formulation.
Conclusion
The present research work is an attempt to revisit the ontological understanding of the public policy process in the post-Machiavellian era. In his proposed public policy framework, Dr Manazir positions the sociological aspect of "Political Willingness" at its centre, likening it to the modern-day concept of the ‘panopticon,’ which is governed by the political elites of our time. This perspective hints at a larger male dominance in the policy landscape when revisited through a feminist lens. This framework also explains the non-linearity of the policy process through the lens of elite influence, emphasising the often-overlooked prominence of political elites in contemporary public policy frameworks.
Dr Manazir's framework offers significant potential for exploration across various socio-political domains, with gender mainstreaming and social inclusion as key areas of focus. It seeks to address critical questions such as how women-centred policies can be inherently patriarchal, the reasons behind the underrepresentation of women in India’s public policy ecosystem, the patriarchal nature of the broader discourse on women's safety, and the unequal representation of women from different sectors of society within policy discussions.
Moreover, the framework tackles the challenge of creating a contemporary and robust public policy structure, as raised by Dr Devaki Jain, ensuring that the pressing issues of women and diverse gender representation are not sidelined in policy planning and outcomes. The research thus highlights that policymaking as an avenue is inherently male-dominated, illustrating how political will operates as a silent authority in policymaking. This dynamic mirrors the silent observer in Bentham’s Panopticon — an observer who is present yet invisible, frequently excluded from the public policy discourse.
References
Delican, D. D. (2024). Elite Theories of Pareto, Mosca and Michels. Retrieved from 9789:
Jain, D. (2007). To be or not to be: Problems in Locating Women in Public Policy. Economic and Political Weekly, 691-696.
Manazir, S. H. (2023). Reimagining public policy formulation and analysis: A comprehensive theoretical framework for
public policy. Discover Global Society | Springer Nature, 1(16), 12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-023-00018-4
Martinelli, C. (2009). Gaetano Mosca's Political Theories: A Key to Interpret the Dynamics of the Power. Italian Journal of
Public Law, 1-44.
Mujkić, D. A. (2015). Political Will: A Short Introduction ( Case Study - Bosnia and Herzegovina). Sarajevo: Friedrich
Ebert Stiftung.
O'Leary, P. D. (1987). Elite Theory. springer link (Theories of the State), pp 136-202.
UK, G. o. (2024, 07 15). Appendix 3: Understanding 'political will'. Retrieved from Analysing 'Political Will':
The author, Rubina, is currently an Academic Associate at the Kautilya School of Public Policy.
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