Cultures of Knowledge Use in Policymaking: The Functions of Research in German and UK Immigration Policy

Abstract

Despite the extensive literature on patterns of knowledge utilization in policymaking, there is very little scholarship comparing different ‘cultures’ of knowledge use across polities. The literature on national policy styles suggests that such values and beliefs can shape patterns of policymaking in different systems of public administration. But it is likely that such differences in administrative cultures also produce distinct ways of thinking about and drawing on expert knowledge. This chapter explores how such differences might influence patterns of research use in immigration policy in Germany and the UK. To this purpose a detailed comparative analysis is made of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the British Home Office. The main conclusion is that, while national cultures may shape the use of research to legitimize decision makers, other factors appear to be more influential, namely the nature of political debate (how technocratic it is), and the policy sector (whether legitimation is secured through rhetoric or delivery).