The Surprising Usefulness of the Policy Stages Framework

Abstract

In the previous issue, I laid out a challenge to readers and scholars of social policy to be more intentional in the use of theory when designing and conduction social policy research. I said I intended to highlight various theories in upcoming issues of the Journal of Policy Practice and Research (Hoefer, 2021). As they say in the world of politics, “Promises made, promises kept!” In that issue, I started with the Civic Engagement Model (Verba et al., 1995).which has become increasingly well- known among researchers examining political participation and how to increase it in the United States and elsewhere. This issue.