18 -19 September 2012

The journal Policy & Politics published by Policy Press celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2012. For forty years the journal has published key works in the areas of public and social policy. The nature of politics and policy making has undoubtedly witnessed significant transformations.

Recent changes include the increasing importance of global governance, a reframing of the state in delivering public services, rising public expectations about choice and quality of public services, the global economic downturn and associated austerity measures, the challenges of climate change and the transition from government to governance, epitomised by the inclusion of non-state actors in the policy process.

The 2012 Policy & Politics conference seeks to explore contemporary policy issues within the context of the past 40 years. In doing so it seeks to address the following questions:

• What policy issues remain pertinent to policy makers and the public in the 21st Century?
• Which elements of politics and policy making have been most enduring over recent decades?
• What areas of policy have witnessed a fundamental reshaping of their design and delivery?
• What elements of traditional ‘public administration’ have been most resilient?
• How can we use critical insights and past experiences to inform future thinking about the way policy is developed?

Plenary Speakers

Emeritus Professor Michael Hill, University of Newcastle, UK

Should we still try to Speak Truth to Power? Dilemmas for Contemporary Policy Process Analysis.

Professor Julian Le Grand, London School of Economics, UK

Government paternalism: nanny state or helpful friend?

Professor Christopher Pollitt, Katholieke Univesiteit, Belguim

40 Years of public management reform: What have we learned, what have we forgotten?

Professor Rod Rhodes, Griffith University, Australia and University of Southampton, UK

Political anthropology and public policy: prospects and limits.

Dinner Speaker

Professor Judith Squires, University of Bristol

For more information see http://www.bris.ac.uk/sps/policyandpolitics2012/

Book tickets

Visit http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/policyandpolitics2012/booknow/

Call for papers

Visit http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/policyandpolitics2012/callforabstracts/ for the official call for papers.