In a well-known paper, Nathan Caplan (1979) advocated an ultimate gap between researchers and policymakers because of diverging values, reward systems and languages; resulting in problems of knowledge transfer. Ever since, research on the transfer of knowledge to policy-making has intensified. The notion of the policy advisory system has become prominent to analyze the interaction of knowledge and policy-making. Policy advisory systems, i.e. the institutional order of policy advisory actors in a policy field, were acknowledged to play a key role in policy-making. Empirical studies show a wide variety of policy advisory systems both across national systems and policy domains. However, little is known on the factors accounting for the composition and role of a policy advisory system in an institutional system or policy domain. Studying policy advisory systems comparatively is all the more important as recent research indicates an increasing relevance of knowledge in policy-making for several reasons such as a growing complexity of policy problems; or uncertain and contested knowledge that is easily politicized. The panel addresses this research gap and focuses on the premises and implications of policy advisory systems for policy-making. We invite theoretical and empirical papers on the actors, their role, institutional structures for policy advice, and its causes and effects. The panel particularly welcomes cross-country and within-country comparisons across policy fields.

Chair: Thurid Hustedt Co-Chair: Alberto Brugnoli Discussant: Sylvia Veit

Paper proposals must not exceed 1500 characters (approximately 250 words). Please do not include references or bibliographical notes in the abstract text. Please submit your paper proposal online: http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/montreal2014/submit-abstractpaper-proposal <http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/montreal2014/submit-abstractpaper-proposal>

Please find a list of the open panels organized by RC 32: http://www.ipsa.org/events/congress/montreal2014/panels-by-session/accepted/6362/0