One of the key topics in development policy is around the second word in that phrase — “policy”. What is it and how to approach it? I guess you realised by now that it is not easy to define or conceptualise a “policy” given that such a simple question is posed here. And indeed, it’s not as simple as it seems.
Scholars have written on this extensively — check Paul Cairney’s website or the work of Richard Freeman who seriously asked about the meaning of policy, policy work, policy as text, as meeting, as speaking. Also important is the work of Colebatch on policy work. But as often is the case, the best way to explain a concept is through an example. So here we go.
What is Policy?
On 4 October 2024, the minister for Asylum and Migration of the Netherlands, Marjolein Faber (PVV — the party of Wilders), defended her proposal to put boards with the text “Here we are working on your return” at the sites of the registration centers for the asylum seekers. This has caused public indignation (and disagreement within the governing coalition) as many of the refugees, perhaps most, have fled war and persecution and hence, would experience such boards as offensive at their arrival.
In defence of this idea, Minister Faber said that it’s her “policy”. When pressed by the journalist that it’s not a policy but a statemen, just an idea, the minister said “it’s part of policy”. When pressed further, she said “but I AM policy”. It is reminiscent of the famous statement of the absolute monarch Louis XIV, who said in the French Parliament “the State, it’s me”!
This brings a lot of questions up on what a policy is. Is it:
- anything that a minister says, whether it’s lawful, impactful or meaningful?
- does it have be to intentional?
- can it encompass inaction (and not just action)?
- is this what people say or only what people do (action)?
- what if it is unintentional in its positive or negative effects, is it still a policy?
When is policy a policy and not politics? And what is the relationship between policy, polity, politics and polis? These are some of the questions that we will deal with in our session 2 on “What is Policy-Making”?
Below the video with the interview with minister Faber with English subtitles, which I provided.