THE INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT OF POLICY SCIENCE: LESSONS FROM THE ARBUCKLE-SIMPSON AQUIFER

Policy science takes place in a complex institutional environment that intersects government agencies, state and municipal governments, universities, industries and citizen groups. Each of these institutional environments is characterized by its own set of logics, best practices, evaluation criteria, and goals. Traversing this overlapping and often contradictory terrain is the plight of the policy scientist. In this paper we examine the institutional context that surrounds the scientists engaged in the study of the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer in south central Oklahoma. A detailed case study, including data collected from approximately 80 interviews with community leaders, is used to highlight the institutional context within which the study is taking place. The findings confirm those from previous anecdotal research, which suggests that policy science is confronted with challenges that do not face traditional research science. These challenges are treated in turn; recommendations are made for meeting them; and implications are discussed for the role of science in the creation of public policy.