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Political uses of social indicators: overview and application to sustainable development indicators

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  • Paul-Marie Boulanger

Abstract

Social indicators and sustainable development are usually defined as quantitative tools whose utility lies exclusively in the operationalisation of policies defined as rationally organised collections of instrumental measures and actions designed to solve a well-defined social problem. As there are few examples of such success stories with sustainable development indicators, it is often lamented that they have failed to keep their promises. Yet, the sustainable development indicators industry is more prosperous than ever, and indicators such as the Ecological Footprint have gained wide support. This can be explained only by adopting a broader conception of policy making and of the role that indicators have to play. This paper builds on Hilgartner and Bosk's theory of public arenas, on the argumentative turn in public policy, and on the history of the unemployment rate in USA as a case study to analyse the current situation and the prospects for sustainable development indicators.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul-Marie Boulanger, 2007. "Political uses of social indicators: overview and application to sustainable development indicators," International Journal of Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(1/2), pages 14-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijsusd:v:10:y:2007:i:1/2:p:14-32
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    Cited by:

    1. Jari Lyytimäki & Hanna Salo & Robert Lepenies & Leonie Büttner & Jyri Mustajoki, 2020. "Risks of producing and using indicators of sustainable development goals," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1528-1538, November.
    2. Olga De Marco Larrauri & David Pérez Neira & Marta Soler Montiel, 2016. "Indicators for the Analysis of Peasant Women’s Equity and Empowerment Situations in a Sustainability Framework: A Case Study of Cacao Production in Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Karen Scott & Derek Bell, 2013. "Trying to Measure Local Well-Being: Indicator Development as a Site of Discursive Struggles," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(3), pages 522-539, June.
    4. Marek Walacik & Małgorzata Renigier‐Biłozor & Aneta Chmielewska & Artur Janowski, 2020. "Property sustainable value versus highest and best use analyzes," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1755-1772, November.

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