Hope, fear and public policy: towards empathetic policy process

ABSTRACT

With current global issues that destroy people’s hope and create fear, public policy should become more emotionally sensitive. We argue that, under the umbrella of critical policy studies, incorporating interpretive policy inquiry into the policy process helps promote emotionally sensitive public policy that can increase hope to cope with fear. Accordingly, we propose a framework for fostering an empathetic policy process. The framework shifts the focus from expert knowledge of problems and solutions to the shared fearful and hopeful feelings and wishful and willful intentions. This article illustrates the operationalization of this policy framework through the Chiang Mai City Lab program (Thailand) case that attempted to address hope and fear through public policy in response to COVID-19. Although the practice cannot transform the techno-authoritarian policy culture here, we can draw lessons from articulating new narratives and emotionally sensitive methods in real-world policy.

KEYWORDS:

• Emotion
• empathy
• hope
• fear
• interpretive policy inquiry
• critical policy studies

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Ora-orn Poocharoen and all team members from the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University. Thanks also go to Christopher Ansell, Deborah Stone, Douglas Torgerson, Frank Fischer, Hugh Miller, and M Ramesh.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research grant for drawing the lessons was provided by Chiang Mai University, while the practice was supported by the Thailand National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) and the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council.

Notes on contributors

Piyapong Boossabong

Piyapong Boossabong is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. His research interests include deliberative approaches, the practice of interpretive policy analysis, and an inclusive policy process in the weak democratic system. He has published in, amongst others, the following journals: Policy Studies, Critical Policy Studies, Comparative Policy Analysis, Asian Public Policy, Deliberative Democracy, and City, Culture and Society. He authored several book chapters, including Oxford Handbook, Routledge Handbook, and Elgar Handbook. He recently co-edited the book entitled “Policy Analysis in Thailand” (Bristol: Policy Press, 2023). Email address: [email protected]; [email protected]

Pobsook Chamchong

Pobsook Chamchong is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. Her research is concerned with policy entrepreneurship, collaborative governance, human-centric policy design, policy labs, and city innovation. She has published papers in journals such as Asian Public Policy, Critical Policy Studies, Policy Studies, and Housing and the Built Environment. Her recent work is a book chapter on “Policy Analysis in Thai Local Governments”. Email address: [email protected]