Winners and losers: Conflict management through strategic policy engagement

Kristin L. Olofsson

Review of Policy Research, 2022, vol. 39, issue 1, 73-89

Abstract: In high‐conflict policy debates, individuals often make strategic decisions about the ways in which they engage in efforts to influence the direction of the debate. Some individuals act to expand the scope of the conflict, whereas others would prefer to contain the scope of the conflict and maintain status quo. This study empirically examines the relationship between activities of political engagement and goals of conflict expansion or containment in a particular setting in which there are clear “winners” and “losers.” This research first explores the tactics an individual undertakes as either conflict expansion or containment. The patterns uncovered are then tested against sectoral affiliation, to draw conclusions about key factors that explain some variation in policy engagement. Findings confirm that there are predictable patterns to engagement decisions, paving the way for future testing in different policy arrangements. 在冲突激烈的政策辩论中，个体经常就其如何通过努力以影响辩论方向一事作出战略决策。一些个体通过行动扩大冲突范围，另一些则偏好控制冲突范围和维持现状。本文实证检验了在存在明显的“赢家”和“输家”这一具体背景下，政治参与活动和冲突扩大目标或冲突控制目标之间的关系。本文首先探究了个体在冲突扩大或冲突控制上分别采取的策略。得出的策略模式随后被用于检验部门隶属关系（sectoral affiliation），最后就一系列关键因素得出结论，这些关键因素能解释政策参与中的部分差异。研究发现证实了存在可预测的参与决策模式，为今后不同政策安排中的相关检验打下基础。 En los debates sobre políticas de alto conflicto, las personas a menudo toman decisiones estratégicas sobre las formas en que se involucran en los esfuerzos para influir en la dirección del debate. Algunas personas actúan para ampliar el alcance del conflicto, mientras que otras prefieren contener el alcance del conflicto y mantener el statu quo. Este estudio examina empíricamente la relación entre las actividades de participación política y los objetivos de expansión o contención del conflicto en un entorno particular en el que hay claros "ganadores" y "perdedores". Esta investigación primero explora las tácticas que emprende un individuo como expansión o contención del conflicto. Los patrones descubiertos luego se prueban contra la afiliación sectorial, para finalmente sacar conclusiones sobre factores clave que explican alguna variación en el compromiso político. Los hallazgos confirman que existen patrones predecibles para las decisiones de participación, allanando el camino para futuras pruebas en diferentes acuerdos de políticas.

Date: 2022
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