A narrative-interactionist approach to policy change analysis. Lessons from a case study of the cultural policy domain in Catalonia

Abstract

The cultural policy domain can be considered a relevant object of study for analyzing policy change processes in which policy discourse and the ambiguity of language have a central role. However, there are few studies that analyze cultural policy and policy change. This article therefore develops an approach for analyzing policy change based on evidence from a case study of the development of cultural policy in Catalonia. In this narrative-interactionist approach, policy change is taken to mean the result of the symbolic interaction among political actors, within a relatively restricted institutional framework. Policy change is conditioned by the variations in the process of symbolic legitimation of government intervention, in this case in the cultural arena. By adapting the concept of frame alignment to policy change analysis, this article shows that the alignment between policy frames and a master frame underpins this symbolic legitimation. The process of alignment is dynamic and leads to a modification of the actors’ policy frames.

Keywords:

• policy change
• policy discourse
• policy frame
• cultural policy
• Catalonia

Acknowledgments

This article is adapted from a paper presented at the 22nd International Political Science Association World Congress. Thanks to all those who asked questions and made comments at the conference. My thanks also to Joan Subirats, Xavier Fina, Emmanuel Negrier and two anonymous referees for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this article. Responsibility for any failings in the article remains with me.

Notes

1. De Vereaux (2006), Gattinger and Saint-Pierre (2008), Parker and Parenta (2009), Gray (2007, 2008), Belfiore (2010) and Bordat (2013) just to mention some of the few examples.

2. An example of a master frame is the concept of sustainable development. For a debate on the issues of sustainability, frame analysis and policy–making, see Triandafyllidou and Fotiou (1998) or Fletcher (2009).

3. The MAGEEQ and QUING research projects have deeply analyzed the frame of gender equality in Europe, identifying numerous examples of policy frames. Verloo and the QUING consortium (2011) identify three groups of policy frames: transformative approaches to gender equality, inclusive understandings of gender equality and policy frames that reject or contest gender equality.

4. For a debate on the issue of intentionality in frame theory, see Bacchi (2009) or Lombardo and Meier (2009).

5. Regarding value amplification, Snow et al. (1986) analyzed the case of peace activists who amplified equality and liberty by asserting their constitutional right to redress grievance and express dissent. In the case of belief amplification, they explained how participation in movement activity is contingent on the amplification of three types of beliefs: stereotypic beliefs about antagonists, beliefs about the probability of change and beliefs about the necessity of ‘standing up’.

6. The leaders of peace movements frequently elaborate goals in order to encompass auxiliary interests (Snow et al. 1986).

7. On the one hand, the debates of presidential investiture (1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2006). All these debates are available at http://www.parlament.cat/web/documentacio/publicacions/diari-ple. On the other hand, the debates of the commission of cultural policy, particularly the debates where the Minister of Culture presents the cultural policy and action plan (1980: Minister Max Cahner, 1986: Minister Joaquim Ferrer, 1989: Minister Joan Guitart, 1994: Minister Joan Guitart, 1996: Minister Joan Maria Pujals, 2000: Minister Jordi Vilajoana, 2004: Minister Caterina Mieras, 2006: Minister Ferran Mascarell, 2007: Minister Joan Manuel Tresseras). All these debates are available at http://www.parlament.cat/web/documentacio/publicacions/diari-comissions.

8. The analysis of the ‘motivation’ dimension in a policy frame shows how the actors are capable of rebuilding the role attribution in each policy alternative: who takes part in the definition of the problem, who has a voice on it and how the actors justify the viability of the preferred policy alternative depending on its main responsible actors.

9. The specific documents analyzed using the technique of content analysis were: (a) annual policy reports (including budget information) from 1980 to 2008 (available at http://bit.ly/1lPVeg7); (b) laws in the cultural policy domain (1981: Llei de Biblioteques, 1983: Llei de Normalització Lingüística, 1985: Llei d’Arxius, 1987: Llei de la Institució de les Lletres Catalanes, 1989: Llei d’Arxius, 1990: Llei de Museus, 1993: Llei de Cultura Popular i Tradicional i de l’Associacionisme Cultural, Llei del Sistema Bibliotecari, Llei de Patrimoni Cultural Català, 1997: Llei de Política Llingüística, 2000: Llei de l’Institut Català de les Indústries Culturals, 2008: Llei del Consell Nacional de la Cultura i de les Arts); (c) Other publications referred to in the text.

10. A first group of interviews were held between January and April 2010, with the aim being to explore the relevance of the case study, corroborate the information obtained from hard data and build the potential narrative or hypothesis. A second group of interviews were held between October 2010 and January 2012, with the aim being to generate original information about the roles of the actors and institutional restrictions. For a complete list of interviewees, see Barbieri (2012b).

11. In the cultural policy domain, see, for example, Gattinger and Saint-Pierre (2008), Parker and Parenta (2009) or Bordat 2013).

12. See Table 1 for a comparison between the periods of policy continuity and policy change.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicolás Barbieri

Nicolás Barbieri is a post-doctoral researcher at the Public Policies and Government Institute (IGOP) and adjunct professor at the Department of Political Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. His main research area is public policy analysis, with a special interest in policy and institutional change, policy discourse and policy frames. He has been involved in research projects focusing on social, cultural and urban policies.