Chapter 4: Agenda-setting - Definition and problematics
What is agenda setting?
Why are some issues addressed and others not?
Agenda setting = Is concerned with the way policy problems emerge or not emerge, as
candidates for governments attention. Is more of a label for the process to which a specific
problem is chosen to have attention. It involves;
a. the determination and definition of what constitutes the problem
b. preliminary exploration of the possible solutions to such issues
c. an assessment of the extent and nature of political support for any kind of action to
resolve them
John kingdon (1984) - The agenda, as I conceive of it, is the list of subjects or problems to
which governmental officials, and people outside of government closely associated with
those officials, are paying some serious attention at any given time… Out of the set of all
conceivable subjects or problems to which officials could be paying attention, they do in fact
seriously attend to some rather than others. So, the agenda-setting process narrows this set
of conceivable subjects to the set that actually becomes the focus of attention. (Kingdon,
1984: 3–4)
essentially → the way in which problems are recognised and approached are important
determinants of how it eventually will be addressed by policy makers.
1. Issue initiation = the initial initiation of a policy problem can come from inside the
gov or outside
a. Inside (formal) initiation → here usually the gov controls most aspects of the
problem definition, framing and articulation. so governments can choose to
put a topic on the agenda without the public knowing (security policy, or
banking and financial regulation as this would give much pushback)
b. outside (informal) initiation → appears on the outside from lobbying and
advocacy. The issue is raised outside of politics and then brought to their
table. (some govs are more open to outside initiation than others)
2. issue articulation = the way a problem is defined and reframed dictate how they are
being treated in policy activities
a. example → low enrolment for girls in schools as either treated as an
educational problem or a gender inequality problem has an effect on the
written policy.
b. policy monopoly → either gov or outside gov aim to control the narrative on a
problem to frame it in a way that can help support the problem. A sudden
crisis can break that image.
3. Issue expansion = Getting a policy initiative on the agenda is difficult regardless of
inside or outside initiation.
a. social mobilisation → for outside initiation groups need to mobilise the issue
to get support and provide campaigns to get it enough attention for the
agenda.
b. inside actors → difficulty as well as there are soooo many policy initiatives
being pushed, getting yours on the table is tough.
, 4. Agenda- entrance = the concept of a policy window or opportunity opening (when
you can place the problem on the table). Four types
a. Routinized windows → regularly scheduled events such as budget cycles
dictate openings
b. discretionary windows → Individual political preferences on the part of
decision makers dictate openings.
c. Random windows → unforeseen events, such as disasters or scandals open
agenda windows.
d. spillover windows → related issues are drawn and can open windows for
other topics
The problematics of agenda setting; issue-attention dynamics
Issue attention in governments and society → the attention to issues as seen above
happens in multiple ways;
- but just because it's on the agenda doesn't mean something will happen → it merely
went from a concern (private or social problem to a public issue)
- the recognition of problems → its socially and politically constructed. Positivists
thought that issues arise and until there is more knowledge it will come on the
agenda. Post positivist see it more as also how government thinks frames the
recognition of problems
- successful agenda setting = process that can see the root causes and address them
according to their best capabilities and best option for best fighting chance. (often this
doesn't happen)
⤷ what constitutes as a policy problem needing action? = an undesirable
effect (bad elderly care) of a condition (aging) that is amenable to government action
(funding to elderly care).
- some problems are more difficult to trace than others ( e.g. seatbelt safety vs
homelessness)
a. wicked problems = these problems have varying boundaries, poorly
understood or unknown, highly uncertain and deep disagreement (climate
change for example)
Other dilemmas with policy problems
1. poor framing of the problems can lead to ineffective solutions
2. critical problems failing to reach the agenda (e.g. less taxes for the rich vs gender
equality issues)
The substance of agenda setting: Problem construction
the content of policy agendas differ across governments and time periods. There are two
ways people look at it.
What is agenda setting?
Why are some issues addressed and others not?
Agenda setting = Is concerned with the way policy problems emerge or not emerge, as
candidates for governments attention. Is more of a label for the process to which a specific
problem is chosen to have attention. It involves;
a. the determination and definition of what constitutes the problem
b. preliminary exploration of the possible solutions to such issues
c. an assessment of the extent and nature of political support for any kind of action to
resolve them
John kingdon (1984) - The agenda, as I conceive of it, is the list of subjects or problems to
which governmental officials, and people outside of government closely associated with
those officials, are paying some serious attention at any given time… Out of the set of all
conceivable subjects or problems to which officials could be paying attention, they do in fact
seriously attend to some rather than others. So, the agenda-setting process narrows this set
of conceivable subjects to the set that actually becomes the focus of attention. (Kingdon,
1984: 3–4)
essentially → the way in which problems are recognised and approached are important
determinants of how it eventually will be addressed by policy makers.
1. Issue initiation = the initial initiation of a policy problem can come from inside the
gov or outside
a. Inside (formal) initiation → here usually the gov controls most aspects of the
problem definition, framing and articulation. so governments can choose to
put a topic on the agenda without the public knowing (security policy, or
banking and financial regulation as this would give much pushback)
b. outside (informal) initiation → appears on the outside from lobbying and
advocacy. The issue is raised outside of politics and then brought to their
table. (some govs are more open to outside initiation than others)
2. issue articulation = the way a problem is defined and reframed dictate how they are
being treated in policy activities
a. example → low enrolment for girls in schools as either treated as an
educational problem or a gender inequality problem has an effect on the
written policy.
b. policy monopoly → either gov or outside gov aim to control the narrative on a
problem to frame it in a way that can help support the problem. A sudden
crisis can break that image.
3. Issue expansion = Getting a policy initiative on the agenda is difficult regardless of
inside or outside initiation.
a. social mobilisation → for outside initiation groups need to mobilise the issue
to get support and provide campaigns to get it enough attention for the
agenda.
b. inside actors → difficulty as well as there are soooo many policy initiatives
being pushed, getting yours on the table is tough.
, 4. Agenda- entrance = the concept of a policy window or opportunity opening (when
you can place the problem on the table). Four types
a. Routinized windows → regularly scheduled events such as budget cycles
dictate openings
b. discretionary windows → Individual political preferences on the part of
decision makers dictate openings.
c. Random windows → unforeseen events, such as disasters or scandals open
agenda windows.
d. spillover windows → related issues are drawn and can open windows for
other topics
The problematics of agenda setting; issue-attention dynamics
Issue attention in governments and society → the attention to issues as seen above
happens in multiple ways;
- but just because it's on the agenda doesn't mean something will happen → it merely
went from a concern (private or social problem to a public issue)
- the recognition of problems → its socially and politically constructed. Positivists
thought that issues arise and until there is more knowledge it will come on the
agenda. Post positivist see it more as also how government thinks frames the
recognition of problems
- successful agenda setting = process that can see the root causes and address them
according to their best capabilities and best option for best fighting chance. (often this
doesn't happen)
⤷ what constitutes as a policy problem needing action? = an undesirable
effect (bad elderly care) of a condition (aging) that is amenable to government action
(funding to elderly care).
- some problems are more difficult to trace than others ( e.g. seatbelt safety vs
homelessness)
a. wicked problems = these problems have varying boundaries, poorly
understood or unknown, highly uncertain and deep disagreement (climate
change for example)
Other dilemmas with policy problems
1. poor framing of the problems can lead to ineffective solutions
2. critical problems failing to reach the agenda (e.g. less taxes for the rich vs gender
equality issues)
The substance of agenda setting: Problem construction
the content of policy agendas differ across governments and time periods. There are two
ways people look at it.
