Congratulations to SCOOP researchers Marieke Vermue, Naomi Ellemers, and Félice van Nunspeet for their article, “Why a focus on social groups is lacking in public policy and how to implement a “Group-Frame” in practice,” published in Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy.
Their research investigates the conundrum of how public policy sees citizens as either “autonomous and self-reliant, or as fragile and in need of strong guidance.” They argue that this neo-liberalist framing of the citizen is overly individualistic, and is unhelpful for developing policies that address societal problems.
They emphasize instead a policy approach that speaks to how individuals and systems connect, thereby “highlighting how social groups impact health and wellbeing, social change, and can be a key determinant of societal resilience.” This means looking at different social groups’ identities, values, and norms when developing policy.
The article advocates for a group-perspective in public policy that takes social identity into consideration. The researchers also advise how policymakers can implement a group approach for different approaches to public policy.
Read the article here.
