Denouement?

Abstract

The narrative policy framework (NPF) asks a simple empirical question: What is the role of policy narratives in the policy process? As a framework, different disciplinary theories (e.g., from literature, political science, psychology, anthropology, and communications) are used to inform and shape NPF research to answer such a basic question. As with any scientific endeavor, it requires a community of researchers to refine the operationalization of policy narrative concepts and to test and re-test NPF hypotheses, ultimately to build scientific knowledge about the role of narratives in the policy process. The Science of Stories is an example of the NPF science community at work iteratively developing the NPF. Derivative of the progress clearly demonstrated by the collection of studies presented in this volume, critical questions as well as needs for clarification, additional research, and theorizing have emerged. As such, we conclude this volume of work first by providing a brief summary of each chapter’s contribution followed by a discussion of four broad themes that arose as we reflected on the collective NPF studies presented in this volume and Weible and Schlager’s assessment thereof. First, we review what we, to date, define as a policy narrative and explore ideas of narrativity, incomplete narratives, and narratives in complex policy contexts. Second, we address what the “clear enough to be wrong” standard means for qualitative and/or interpretative researchers. Third, with some political scientists questioning the import of public opinion in public policy, we examine what some of the implications may be for the role of policy narratives.