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Theorizing Inside Activism: Understanding Policymaking and Policy Change from Below

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  • Jan Olsson
  • Erik Hysing

Abstract

To further our understanding on policymaking and policy change we need to recognize the significance of individual key actors in policy and planning processes. This article theorizes on the characteristics and policy influence of inside activism in which individual public officials act strategically from inside public administration to change government policy and action in line with a civic engagement and value commitment. Based on initial empirical findings from Swedish local government, we argue that inside activism is empirically relevant but not satisfactorily covered by other key actor concepts. We theorize that inside activism is 1) dualistic: open, deliberative, consensus-seeking and tacit, tactical, power-driven; 2) influential through informal networking inside and outside of government; and 3) dynamic as it varies over time and between critical situations. Due to current trends in society and public administration (e.g. governance), we expect inside activism to be increasingly relevant and we encourage further theoretical, empirical as well as normative research and discussion on this phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Olsson & Erik Hysing, 2012. "Theorizing Inside Activism: Understanding Policymaking and Policy Change from Below," Planning Theory & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 257-273.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:rptpxx:v:13:y:2012:i:2:p:257-273
    DOI: 10.1080/14649357.2012.677123
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    Cited by:

    1. Katarina Buhr & Karolina Isaksson & Pernilla Hagbert, 2018. "Local Interpretations of Degrowth—Actors, Arenas and Attempts to Influence Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Patrik Hall & Karl Löfgren & Gregory Peters, 2016. "Greening the Street-Level Procurer: Challenges in the Strongly Decentralized Swedish System," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 467-483, December.
    3. Hysing, Erik, 2015. "Citizen participation or representative government – Building legitimacy for the Gothenburg congestion tax," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-8.
    4. Ingemar Elander & Eva Gustavsson, 2019. "From policy community to issue networks: Implementing social sustainability in a Swedish urban development programme," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 37(6), pages 1082-1101, September.
    5. Glaser, Meredith & Krizek, Kevin J., 2021. "Can street-focused emergency response measures trigger a transition to new transport systems? Exploring evidence and lessons from 55 US cities," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 146-155.

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