Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom

<p>Following the ‘practice turn’ in energy research, increasing attention is being paid to the practices of policy making. However, energy policy implementation remains under-researched. Using auto-ethnographic and extensive interview data, this paper provides a narrative account of ‘Sustainab...

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Main Author: Hampton, S
Format: Journal article
Published: Elsevier 2018
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author Hampton, S
author_facet Hampton, S
author_sort Hampton, S
collection OXFORD
description <p>Following the ‘practice turn’ in energy research, increasing attention is being paid to the practices of policy making. However, energy policy implementation remains under-researched. Using auto-ethnographic and extensive interview data, this paper provides a narrative account of ‘Sustainable Routes’: a project offering grants and advice to small business in the UK to reduce their transport-related emissions. The project exemplifies the model of Multi-Level Governance (MLG), implemented by a coalition of actors, across multiple scales.</p> <br/> <p>Research data is analysed using practice theory. Building on recent debates over researching large-scale phenomena, the notion of connected situationalism is used to analyse policy implementation as a bundle of practices. ‘Zooming in’ on periods of disruption following project audits, findings trace how tension and conflict arose in the relationships between actors, played out through the changing constellation of meanings, materials and competences. They highlight for example, how the reinterpretation of policy documentation led material elements such as bicycles to become associated with meanings of risk and liability, requiring a new set of competences on behalf of the carriers of practice.</p> <p>This empirical account demonstrates the value of practice theory for analysing multi-actor, multi-scalar research data, and indicates potential for future research on policy implementation. </p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:6c933e30-c9cc-46df-9c81-11983e83938d2022-03-26T19:11:42ZPolicy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United KingdomJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6c933e30-c9cc-46df-9c81-11983e83938dSymplectic Elements at OxfordElsevier2018Hampton, S<p>Following the ‘practice turn’ in energy research, increasing attention is being paid to the practices of policy making. However, energy policy implementation remains under-researched. Using auto-ethnographic and extensive interview data, this paper provides a narrative account of ‘Sustainable Routes’: a project offering grants and advice to small business in the UK to reduce their transport-related emissions. The project exemplifies the model of Multi-Level Governance (MLG), implemented by a coalition of actors, across multiple scales.</p> <br/> <p>Research data is analysed using practice theory. Building on recent debates over researching large-scale phenomena, the notion of connected situationalism is used to analyse policy implementation as a bundle of practices. ‘Zooming in’ on periods of disruption following project audits, findings trace how tension and conflict arose in the relationships between actors, played out through the changing constellation of meanings, materials and competences. They highlight for example, how the reinterpretation of policy documentation led material elements such as bicycles to become associated with meanings of risk and liability, requiring a new set of competences on behalf of the carriers of practice.</p> <p>This empirical account demonstrates the value of practice theory for analysing multi-actor, multi-scalar research data, and indicates potential for future research on policy implementation. </p>
spellingShingle Hampton, S
Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title_full Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title_fullStr Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title_full_unstemmed Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title_short Policy implementation as practice? Using social practice theory to examine multi-level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the United Kingdom
title_sort policy implementation as practice using social practice theory to examine multi level governance efforts to decarbonise transport in the united kingdom
work_keys_str_mv AT hamptons policyimplementationaspracticeusingsocialpracticetheorytoexaminemultilevelgovernanceeffortstodecarbonisetransportintheunitedkingdom