Website: http://www.danielbeland.org

Research involves

Researching and clarifying how ideas impact policy change

Research relevance

Helping scholars better understand policy change while increasing the policy awareness of citizens and decision-makers

Ideas and Public Policy

A growing number of social scientists commonly hold that ideas shape policy development. Dr. Daniel Béland, Canada Research Chair in Public Policy, is critically examining this broad theoretical claim.

To examine the impact ideas have on policy change, Béland will conduct three studies. The first will compare Canada’s federal equalization policy to three similar countries’ policies. Another study will scrutinize changes in social policy in the United States under former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. A final study will analyze the interactions between ideas and business power in U.S. pension reform.

The main goal of Béland’s research program is to analyze the relationships among ideas, politics and policy change. This information will help to develop the social science literature on ideas, politics, power, and public policy.

Béland’s program will involve graduate and undergraduate students in the research process. It is expected to result in two books on the subject, as well as a number of journal publications.