Paul Cairney

New political science analysis of the renewed push for preventive health: ‘Can it be any different this time around?’ The idea that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is often treated as self-evident in health policymaking: who would not want to shift resources from mit…

Interesting (esp as I get more and more into public health research) & valuable piece by @paulcairney.bsky.social & colleagues on poli sci approaches to preventative healthcare. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A reminder: people say "guru" because it uses fewer characters than "charlatan". But still, do come along...

This is….and imagine all the other ways this manifests… and across different contexts

The 'what did we learn on our summer holidays?' anonymous memo itself archive.ph/5imGV

Using political science to inform our understanding of the challenges of preventive health policymaking: ‘Can this time be any different?’ By Paul Cairney, John Boswell, Hashum Mahmood, Annie Bliss. This post summarises our new article in Social Science & Medicine. Advocates of preventive health and care policy often feel like the…

Using political science to inform our understanding of the challenges of preventive health policymaking: ‘Can this time be any different?’

paulcairney.wordpress.com/2025/09/25/u...

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Professor Nicole Busby is Professor of Human Rights, Equality and Justice at the University of Glasgow. They have over 30 years of experience focused on EU law, labour law, equality law, and human rights. She holds a PhD in Law, with a specialism in EU and UK sex equality law. She has held key advisory roles and currently serves on the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Incorporation and Implementation Oversight Board.

Professor Paul Cairney is Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Stirling. He specialises in UK and Scottish Government policymaking, with a particular focus on public health and inequalities. He served as Special Advisor to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee inquiry into effective government decision-making, and as an Expert Witness to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, providing a written report and oral evidence on Scottish political governance.

We will hear from:
🔵 Professor Nicole Busby - Professor in Human Rights, Equality and Justice, @uofglasgow.bsky.social
🔵 Professor @paulcairney.bsky.social - Professor of Politics and Public Policy, @stir.ac.uk

For more information please visit our website: covid19inquiry.scot

Yes, in that there are high/low state versions of the same vague ambition

New political science analysis of the renewed push for preventive health: ‘Can it be any different this time around?

doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-August 31, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals September 30, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propos…

🫱🏽‍🫲🏿 #COPPR26 is more than a conference. It’s a space for building community across disciplines, methods, and institutions. Come find your people, share your ideas. CFP here: policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-August 31, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals September 30, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propos…

📖 Do you work with the IAD Framework?
Institutional rules, action arenas, and the grammar of institutions? Then you should be at #COPPR26.
Present your work. Find your people. Build the field.
CFP open now 👉 policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-August 31, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals September 30, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propos…

🏛️ Do you map belief systems, coalitions, and policy subsystems? The Advocacy Coalition Framework remains a cornerstone of policy process research — and so is #COPPR26. Submit your ACF work by Aug 31. policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-September 15, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals October 15, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propo…

📢 UPDATE! The submission deadline has been extended to September 15th. As always, we look forward to reviewing your proposals.—COPPR Team policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

Session Information The Conference on Policy Process Research (COPPR) is focused on advancing policy process research through a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches. COPPR offers six types of sessio…

Not sure what to submit to #COPPR26? We have SIX different session formats, check them out:
policyprocessresearch.org/coppr-26-ses...

Conference on Policy Process Research

Rob DeLeo at Bentley University’s Public Policy Program is pleased to host a US COPPR Satellite for 2026. Scholars who cannot travel to Bern but would like to convene in person can register to attend COPPR Bentley from January 21 – 23. policyprocessresearch.org

20-23 January 2026, COPPR, University of Bern

The Conference on Policy Process Research 2026 is in Bern, Switzerland, January 20-23. You can submit your paper or presentation ideas here - policyprocessresearch.org - and can attend in person or online.

New directions in climate justice? A dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars New directions in just climate policymaking can emerge from the dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars. Current climate…

We had a wee Stirling in-house think about the relationship between critical climate justice and Policy Studies with Andrea Schapper @envjusticeresstir.bsky.social, @paulcairney.bsky.social, @hyeyoonpark.bsky.social, @neilcrawford.bsky.social
and Hannes Stephan
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

New directions in climate justice? A dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars New directions in just climate policymaking can emerge from the dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars. Current climate…

New Directions in Climate Justice? A Dialogue Between Critical Climate Justice and Policy Studies Scholars

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Political scientists: can you help me with something?

I'm adding suggested podcast episodes to my Politics of Public Policy syllabus this year.

I need a podcast episode on these two topics:

-Agenda Setting
-Policy Feedback

Anything come to mind?

Thanks in advance!

Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised) - Policy Sciences Policy Sciences - Classic studies of ‘perfect’ policymaking use an ideal-type to identify and reflect on policymaking in the real world. I use this approach to review studies that seek...

Policy fragmentation and incoherence are inevitable in the real world

@paulcairney.bsky.social
Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised)

@policysciences.bsky.social

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Experiencing a hurting stalemate about going to #COPPR26? Send us your proposals and you can attend in person or online!

YouTube video by avi tekin Frank's Most Likeable Song Ever

This is our most likeable article:

So you want to be a systems leader? doi.org/10.1080/2574...

For the less likeable version open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/5-6

youtu.be/I-9OPkABTdY?...

WJM Mackenzie Book Prize 2024/25 - Shortlist Announced | The Political Studies Association (PSA) We are pleased to announce the shortlisted books for the WJM Mackenzie Book Prize 2024/25!A huge thank you to all those who nominated a book for this esteemed prize that celebrates the distinctive…

*PSA Book Recommends* 📚 Looking for a thought provoking summer read? Check out this year's Mackenzie Book Prize shortlist for ideas.
📚

20-23 January 2026, COPPR, University of Bern

The Conference on Policy Process Research 2026 is in Bern, Switzerland, January 20-23. You can submit your paper or presentation ideas here - policyprocessresearch.org - and can attend in person or online.

So you want to be a systems leader? Systems leaders are trusted actors who help many people to collaborate to address wicked policy problems. These policy problems resist simple solutions by a few powerful actors in one center of gov...

So you want to be a systems leader?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Fair play to whoever cooked up the spam emails that are getting through the usual filter: an email apologising to a customer, then someone replying in confusion, someone replying to the reply, and so on. It is a decent copy of the reply-all emails you get at work.

So you want to be a systems leader? Systems leaders are trusted actors who help many people to collaborate to address wicked policy problems. These policy problems resist simple solutions by a few powerful actors in one center of gov...

So you want to be a systems leader?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

📣 Super important paper 📣

It explores what's needed to ensure placemaking, the built environment, & transport can play a role in health creation & overcoming inequalities. Systems thinking is vital: foster the right leadership, collaborate across disciplines, and empower.

(HT @sfrost.bsky.social)

Now published as a short thriller with a twist at the end
(and at the end of the title, for people who don't want to read beyond the title)
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised) - Policy Sciences Policy Sciences - Classic studies of ‘perfect’ policymaking use an ideal-type to identify and reflect on policymaking in the real world. I use this approach to review studies that seek...

I'm planning to be delighted about this article on LinkedIn

Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised)

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Me at the Tall Ships thing at Aberdeen Harbour. Free entry but £7 for chips

Every 30 years or so, I like to lick my lips, have a poke of chips, and stand next to some tall ships