Beyond Evidence Based Policy in Public Health: The Interplay of Ideas [Hardcover]

This book explores the complex relationship between public health research and policy, employing tobacco control and health inequalities in the UK as contrasting case studies. It argues that focusing on research-informed ideas usefully draws attention to the centrality of values, politics and advocacy for public health debates.1. The Fluctuating Fortunes of 'Evidence-Based Policy' 2. Evidence-Informed Policy in Public Health 3. The Power of Ideas (over evidence) 4. Institutionalised Ideas and Policy Facilitators 5. Critical/Charismatic Ideas and Advocates 6. Chameleonic Ideas and Flexian Policy Actors 7. Institutional Amnesia and the Rise of Public Health Knowledge Brokers 8. Politics and Advocacy in Public Health  The Way Forward

Katherine Smith offers an insightful analysis of evidence-based policy, providing an interesting typology with which to deepen our exploration of the relationship between research and policy . . . a rare books which captures the reader, inviting self-reflection upon how one can engage with research either as an academic, an advocate, or policymaker, and their own research. - LSE Review of Books

Research reports often end with recommendations for what 'policy makers' should do. Clearly, linking research and policy (and practice) is vital, but we often seem to over-simplify the relationships between them. This recently published book by Katherine Smith is a fascinating read because it tackles this issue using two case studies which are at the heart of public health work: health inequalities and tobacco control . . . Smith does an admirable job of showing the significance of ideas and politics whilst upholding the principle that research has value for policy . . . an accessible, evidence-based discussion of the complexities of the two-way relationship between research and policy. - DECIPHer

What we have here is an excellent source of evidence about the relationship between research evidence anl“T