Applying the Narrative Policy Framework to the Multiple Streams Framework: Understanding the Role of Focusing Events in Policy Change

This paper proposes a study applying the Narrative Policy Framework to the Multiple Streams Framework. By doing this, it seeks to analyze both the agenda setting properties and the narrative elements following an event. I argue that in order for policy change to occur, you need the event to be large enough and rare enough that it generates agenda change on both the media and Congressional level. Furthermore, you need the media to act as a conduit, allowing for groups and policy entrepreneurs to promote their ideas, instead of as a contributor in which the media backs a specific policy preference. When the media acts as a conduit, allowing for more ideas to enter the discourse, there is a greater likelihood for a “match” between media and Congressional narratives and greater likelihood for policy change to occur. However, to understand the full scope of the policy change, I argue a longitudinal study is necessary. My study demonstrates that event-driven policy change sometimes occurs after a series of events but uses narrative elements previously presented following earlier events. This study fills a literature gap by applying the Narrative Policy Framework to the Multiple Streams Framework, when in the past the Narrative Policy Framework has primarily been applied to other policy process theories, particularly Advocacy Coalition Framework and Punctuated Equilibrium. Finally, the research on the media as a conduit or contributor tests and expands upon a previous study while adding a new element of comparing media and Congressional narratives.