Learning by numbers? The use of indicators in the co-ordination of social inclusion policies in Europe

ABSTRACT

The indicators developed for the open method of co-ordination (OMC) in social inclusion might, according to their authors, serve to establish a common language for the discussion of social inclusion issues, set the agenda for inclusion policies, and provide benchmarks for the identification of best practices. To examine whether ‘learning by numbers’ is taking place, this paper scrutinizes the use of the indicators in the area of child poverty and exclusion. The discussion uses a theoretical account of the institutional preconditions for the transmission of OMC-based learning into the policy processes of member states which distinguishes between ‘normal policy-making’ and ‘paradigm shifts’. The indicators are designed to contribute to the advance of knowledge about normal policy-making, but it is shown that the OMC/inclusion disseminates a new policy paradigm which bears little relationship to the indicators.

Keywords:

• Benchmarking
• indicators
• institutional learning
• social inclusion.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This is a substantially revised version of a paper presented to the ESPAnet Conference, Oxford, 9–11 September 2004. I am grateful to participants in the ESRC seminar programme on ‘Implementing the Lisbon Strategy’, particularly Waltraud Schelkle, and to Helen Bolderson, for discussions and comments. Thanks also to two anonymous referees for their suggestions. The usual disclaimer applies.

Notes

1. Atkinson et al. (2005: 49, 75 and 117–18) note that the analysis of child poverty is sensitive to equivalence scales, and discuss the German case as well as other examples.

2. Similar points are made by Atkinson et al. (2005: 82), discussing the use of the national minimum income standard in the Dutch NAP.