Abstract

BENTANCUR, Nicolás; BIDEGAIN, Germán  and  MARTINEZ, Rodrigo. The Study of Public Policies in Political Science: Latin American Perspectives. Gest. polít. pública [online]. 2023, vol.32, n.2, pp.187-226.  Epub Feb 19, 2024. ISSN 1405-1079.  https://doi.org/10.60583/gypp.v32i2.8127.

The study of public policies, initiated in academic institutions of the United States, has had considerable development in Latin America in recent years. This article is based on three hypotheses: a) the theoretical approaches elaborated in the North are highly influential both in teaching and research that are currently taking place in the region; b) this influence limits the ability to explain the particularities of these countries’ public policies, and c) the influence of northern theoretical approaches on the research and teaching activities of Latin-American experts is greater among those who obtained their most advanced degree in the North. In order to support and test these hypotheses, firstly, we describe the evolution of the discipline in the United States and the region. Secondly, we present the main epistemological perspectives involved. Finally, we present and analyze the results of a survey answered by 168 public policy experts who work in institutions from eight Latin American countries.

Keywords : public policy; public policy approaches; political science studies; Latin America; world-academic system.