Evidence

Abstract

The phrase ‘evidence-based policymaking’ (EBPM) has not featured strongly in governance studies. In contrast, it features strongly in the interdisciplinary study of health or climate change. This contrast highlights different perspectives: some ask why policy and governance is not based on the evidence, and others wonder why anyone would think that EBPM could be a realistic or attractive possibility. Governance researchers can contribute to this interdisciplinary study even if they would not ask its questions routinely: why is there a large evidence-policy gap, and how can we bridge it? This chapter addresses three key elements of governance that map onto this field: the idea that the lack of EBPM signals a governance problem; studies of models of governance which help challenge the simplistic idea of an evidence-policy gap; and, the idea of good governance of evidence.