Strategic options for APSA Strengthening democratic audits and governmental indicators

Pippa NorrisHarvard University

www.pippanorris.com

Structure

I. Distinguish potential functions and users of

indices

II. Alternative data sources: strengths and limits

III. Six strategic options for APSA

Functions & uses of indicatorsUses Scholars Multilateral

organizations/ Bilateral donors

National governments

International and national

advocacy groups

Agenda-setting(Identifying problems, needs, & benchmarks)

Policy analysis (What causes X)

Policy implementation (Managing targets and goals)

Program evaluation & learning(What interventions work)

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Products Special issue PS

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Products Special issue PS Online directory

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

(iii)Recommend authoritative

scientific standards

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Establish authoritative standards/code for methods, data collection, validity, reliability, transparency

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Improve practices; voluntary code; rating of standards

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Fund report workgroup meetings

Products Special issue PS Online directory Publish and disseminate APSA Report and guidelines

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

(iii)Recommend authoritative

scientific standards

(iv)One stop data

shop

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Establish authoritative standards/code for methods, data collection, validity, reliability, transparency

Develop integrated annual x-sectional and time-series datasets

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Improve practices; voluntary code; rating of standards

Facilitate indicator comparisons and simplify for users

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Fund report workgroup meetings

Fund RAs; Reinvent wheel? QoG Institute

Products Special issue PS Online directory Publish and disseminate APSA Report and guidelines

Online annual datasets

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

(iii)Recommend authoritative

scientific standards

(iv)One stop data

shop

(v)Train users

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Establish authoritative standards/code for methods, data collection, validity, reliability, transparency

Develop integrated annual x-sectional and time-series datasets

Pre-APSA workshops for practitioners and younger scholars

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Improve practices; voluntary code; rating of standards

Facilitate indicator comparisons and simplify for users

Draws on APSA skills and expertise ; capacity development

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Fund report workgroup meetings

Fund RAs; Reinvent wheel? QoG Institute

Minimal costs

Products Special issue PS Online directory Publish and disseminate APSA Report and guidelines

Online annual datasets

Workshops; training guidelines; video?

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

(iii)Recommend authoritative

scientific standards

(iv)One stop data

shop

(v)Train users

(vi)Develop

innovative indices

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Establish authoritative standards/code for methods, data collection, validity, reliability, transparency

Develop integrated annual x-sectional and time-series datasets

Pre-APSA workshops for practitioners and younger scholars

Incentivize APSA sections to develop innovative indices; use membership networks for expert surveys

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Improve practices; voluntary code; rating of standards

Facilitate indicator comparisons and simplify for users

Draws on APSA skills and expertise ; capacity development

Generate unique data; already used for ideological party scales

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Fund report workgroup meetings

Fund RAs; Reinvent wheel? QoG Institute

Minimal costs Fund 2-3 section-organized annual workshops awards

Products Special issue PS Online directory Publish and disseminate APSA Report and guidelines

Online annual datasets

Workshops; training guidelines; video?

New disaggregated indices of democratic governance

Strategic Options

(i)Stimulate scholarly debate &

collaboration

(ii)Develop

consultancy directory

(iii)Recommend authoritative

scientific standards

(iv)One stop data

shop

(v)Train users

(vi)Develop

innovative indices

Activities Commission meta-analysis thematic articles

Online directory of expert consultants available for practitioners

Establish authoritative standards/code for methods, data collection, validity, reliability, transparency

Develop integrated annual x-sectional and time-series datasets

Pre-APSA workshops for practitioners and younger scholars

Incentivize APSA sections to develop innovative indices; use membership networks for expert surveys

Pros Useful scholarly reviews

Service for members and practitioners

Improve practices; voluntary code; rating of standards

Facilitate indicator comparisons and simplify for users

Draws on APSA skills and expertise ; capacity development

Generate unique data; already used for ideological party scales

Costs/ limits

Minimal costs; rarely reaches practitioners

Minimal costs; needs public evaluation feedback to be useful

Fund report workgroup meetings

Fund RAs; Reinvent wheel? QoG Institute

Minimal costs Fund 2-3 section-organized annual workshops awards

Products Special issue PS Online directory Publish and disseminate APSA Report and guidelines

Online annual datasets

Workshops; training guidelines; video?

New disaggregated indices of democratic governance

(vi) Develop innovative indicators?• APSA professional body of scholarly expertise

• Concepts, measures, & methodology• Encourage innovative DG indices: e.g.

• Ethnic fractionalization, minority representation, media balance, local elections, gender empowerment, public administration effectiveness

• Incentivize APSA sections• Fund 2-3 competitive workshop annually, seed money grants to

develop specific indices within their section• Set criteria for awards, activities, deliverables• Use membership and international professional networks for

perceptual surveys of experts• Already used for left-right party ideology – expand method to

other areas