Expertization of Policy-advice: Institutional Variation and Normative Responses

Abstract

What is the role of academic expertise in different channels of policy advice? Some argue that the previous dominance of academic expertise in policy advice has been replaced by more “pluralist” and “hybrid” advice arrangements. Others argue that governance relies extensively and perhaps even increasingly on academic expertise. Is policy advice becoming more or less reliant on academic expertise? How does the increasing role of experts in policy-making affect and challenge transparency, accountability and representation? What does expertization – or alternatively hybridization – of policy advice imply for democratic legitimacy and the quality of policy-making? The panel invites papers that seek to explore, explain and/or assess developments and variation in policy advice, with a particular focus on the role of academic expertise and experts and implications for democracy and governance.