The DOI matches its Crossref record; 61 of the 61 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Hidden agendas: shining a light on the dark side of public policy
Abstract
Allegations of hidden policy agendas are a perennial feature of public policy-making, but there are no works in existence dealing directly and systematically with this crucial phenomenon. This article seeks to address this gap with a novel heuristic allowing analysts to approach the topic of hidden agendas. It addresses issues of methodology: Who hides? What is hidden? Who do they hide it from? Tools/techniques used to hide. Consequences of hidden agendas that remain hidden. What happens once hidden agendas are exposed? It also examines normative dimensions, including the possibility that hidden agendas may actually serve the business of governing. The article also puts forward four criteria for ascertaining with a degree of plausibility the existence of a hidden agenda. It applies these criteria to a specific case study and argues that there is considerable potential for applying it to other cases.
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“The multiplicity of potential SAI goals opens the door to hidden agendas (McConnell, 2018), self-interest, and misuse.”
From A Fate Worse Than Warming? Stratospheric Aerosol Injection and Global Catastrophic Risk (2021) · cites this paper as McConnell, 2018
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Metadata
- Authors
- McConnell, A.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- McConnell, Allan
- ORCID
- McConnell, Allan
- Venue
- Journal of European Public Policy
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-10-03
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1739-1758
- ISSN
- 1350-1763 (ISSN-L)
- 1466-4429
- OpenAlex
- W2762665674
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 5.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of European Public Policy (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- NSW Department of Primary Industries
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Public Administration › Public Policy and Administration Research
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Public Administration and Political Analysis
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Public Administration and Governance
- Keywords
- agenda setting, policy making, policy transparency
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