research

Establishing Government Think Tanks

Leave a Comment / knowledge to policy /

I contributed with Widya Sutiyo to this review written  by Jessica Mackenzie of different models of government think tanks. Key points from the paper: Government think tanks have several benefits over external think tanks, including their strong understanding of government programs and priorities (which helps them to tailor advice to actual needs) and an ability to coordinate across government departments. There is […]

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The unbearable lightness of research evidence

1 Comment / democracy, evidence-informed policy, governance, policy /

Can a politicians resign from public office because of insufficient use of evidence in policy making? Apparently yes. This is what Norman Baker has done by leaving his Home Office minister post in early November: Norman Baker resigns as Home Office minister with parting shot at May. Norman Baker is a Liberal Democrat. His party

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Article 18: political language, media and the shrinking space for evidence in Italy

Leave a Comment / decentralisation, democracy, economy, evidence-informed policy, governance, political economy /

  Italians like to talk about politics. Political talk shows have been popular but they seem to have reached a saturation point. Too many of them. In the morning. Later afternoon. Evening. Some shows are better than others but they also start to all look alike. The same politicians and journalists as guests. Not always

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The value of evidence and the power of values in the referendum on the independence of Scotland.

3 Comments / democracy, governance, policy, Scotland /

Today is the day. 4.3 million residents in Scotland and aged 16 or over have the right to cast their ballot to answer a straight forward question with big implications: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?.’ A simple majority is required by the Yes campaign to win the referendum and leave the United Kingdom after

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A couple of Stories of Change on the use of knowledge and research evidence in policy making

Leave a Comment / knowledge to policy /

Just published with my colleagues Endah Purnawati and Maesy Angelina a couple of Stories of Change on the use of knowledge and research evidence in policy decision-making. Pls follow the links. Working politically. A story of change on the contribution of research-evidence on the new Village Law in Indonesia On December 18th 2013, the Indonesian House

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\’If not us, then who?\’ Climate change and the devastation left by typhoons Haiyan in the Philippines

Leave a Comment / political economy /

Typhoon Hayian was the 25th typhoon that hit the Philippines this year. I lived in the city of Dumaguete in the Philippines for four years and left last May. My family is still there and we were talking on Skype about the typhoon that was approaching the Filipino coast. Dumaguete lies just a couple of

\’If not us, then who?\’ Climate change and the devastation left by typhoons Haiyan in the Philippines Read More »

\’If not us, then who?\’ Climate change and the devastation left by typhoons Haiyan in the Philippines

Leave a Comment / democracy, evidence-informed policy, Philippines, policy /

Typhoon Hayian was the 25th typhoon that hit the Philippines this year. I lived in the city of Dumaguete in the Philippines for four years and left last May. My family is still there and we were talking on Skype about the typhoon that was approaching the Filipino coast. Dumaguete lies just a couple of

\’If not us, then who?\’ Climate change and the devastation left by typhoons Haiyan in the Philippines Read More »