Embracing the future of the policy sciences: big data in pedagogy and practice

N. Goyal, Ola El-Taliawi, Michael Howlett

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeChapterScientific

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Abstract

Although the emergence of Big Data provides an opportunity to synthesize and mobilize ever greater amounts of policy-relevant knowledge, it has not received adequate attention in studies of policy pedagogy and practice. In this chapter, we highlight the relevance of Big Data to policy analysis, policy implementation, and policy studies through a discussion of basic machine learning techniques and an illustration of their application in the case of better understanding policy response to COVID-19. Subsequently – based on a bibliometric review of nearly 2,500 publications on big data in public policy and content analysis of course titles and descriptions in 122 programs worldwide – we make an evidence-informed appeal to increase the uptake of big data in policy research as well as teaching. We conclude that appropriate engagement with the big data phenomenon can help the policy sciences remain relevant and move a step closer to integrating policy research, pedagogy, and practice.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication The Future of the Policy Sciences
EditorsAnis Brik, Leslie Pal
Chapter2
Pages9-27
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9781800376489
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

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