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Advisory commissions, academic expertise and democratic legitimacy: the case of Norway

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  • Johan Christensen
  • Cathrine Holst

Abstract

Commissions appointed to examine and propose solutions to major policy problems play a vital role in policy formulation in the Nordic countries. Whereas existing accounts emphasize the corporatist and statist features of these bodies, this article investigates the changing role of academic knowledge within commissions. It does so through an empirical and normative analysis of Norwegian ad hoc advisory commissions appointed during the period 1967–2013. Based on a quantitative analysis of commission composition and citation practices, the article finds a growing reliance on academics and academic knowledge in commission work. Moreover, drawing on different reasonable conceptions of democratic legitimacy, the article argues that this trend is problematic mostly from approaches that regard democracy as aggregative, participatory, and intrinsically justified. From the perspectives of deliberative, elite, and epistemically justified democracy ‘scientization’ is less of a problem; it can even be recommendable.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Christensen & Cathrine Holst, 2017. "Advisory commissions, academic expertise and democratic legitimacy: the case of Norway," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(6), pages 821-833.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:44:y:2017:i:6:p:821-833.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/scipol/scx016
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    Cited by:

    1. Ines Wagner & Mari Teigen, 2022. "Egalitarian inequality: Gender equality and pattern bargaining," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 486-501, March.
    2. Susanne Jørgensen & Knut H Sørensen, 2023. "Numeric work: The efforts of calculation actors to make numbers count in climate and energy policy," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 50(2), pages 243-252.
    3. Adam Standring, 2021. "Relational expertise and the spatial (re)production of austerity: Challenges and opportunities for progressive politics," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 39(3), pages 555-573, May.
    4. Gabriella Gricius, 2025. "The Shortest Nuclear Route to Climate Change to Great Power Competition: Tracing Arctic Security," Ocean and Society, Cogitatio Press, vol. 2.

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