Multiple Streams and Policy Change

In MSF, policy change comes about at specific points in time, called policy windows. These windows open either when problems are (perceived to be) immediately important or when politics change, e.g. a change of government but also a change in public opinion or a change in the party system. Thus, the framework would lead us to expect that some current changes are likely to lead to policy change while other are less likely to make it on the government agenda. Issues that either lead to a wide perception of a problem (terrorism) or that affect public opinion and the party system (populism) belong to the former group while “big slow-moving” processes (Pierson) like climate change or demographic change will have a harder time to make it on the agenda. This paper is for the ROUNDTABLE – APPROACHING CONTEMPORARY POLICY CHANGES WITH POLICY PROCESS FRAMEWORKS.