Methodological challenges for policy learning

Policy learning’s ambiguities make it difficult to find an umbrella definition. Taking into account the amount of relevant knowledge to be applied to policy decisions, the concept of policy learning can be defined as a conscious process of change in thinking about specific policy problems. Demands from society can be turned into inputs for policymakers who assess the results of past, present or future policies (Biegelbauer 2013). Therefore, the tendency is for policy decisions to be made on the basis of knowledge and both past experience and future expectations (Bennett and Howlett 1992). Alternations of thought or behavioural intentions can result from past experience and new information, and concern with the achievement of policy goals (Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith 1999). Taking into account the conceptual approach to learning and the way in which this occurs, we will revise the classification of learning theories with a specific focus on the processes of learning and the use of knowledge as a resource for agents of learning. The role of learning in the policy literature will be sketched to introduce the discussion about the learning process.