Bridging Science and Politics: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Analysing Uncertainty in Public Policy Decision-Making
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Date
2025
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Abstract
The doctoral thesis “Bridging Science and Politics: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Analysing Uncertainty in Public Policy Decision-Making” examines how scientific evidence is mobilised in policymaking under conditions of uncertainty. It argues that research on the science-policy interface remains fragmented because uncertainty is unevenly defined and operationalised across disciplines. The study’s overarching goal is to integrate political, methodological, and psychological dimensions of uncertainty to explain how evidence functions within decision-making processes. Grounded in a pragmatic paradigm and employing a sequential mixed-method design, the research combines conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative approaches. The empirical focus is Chile’s Law No. 20.903 on Teacher Professional Development. Three analytical strategies structure the work: (1) the Interdisciplinary Uncertainty Framework (IUF), developed through integrative review; (2) a qualitative case study using discourse and thematic analysis that integrates the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and the Social Identities in the Policy Process (SIPP) model; and (3) a mixed-method design combining qualitative coding with quantitative analyses such as Social Network Analysis, Advocacy Coalition Index, and moderation models. Findings show that evidence operates as a socially and symbolically mediated resource. The thesis demonstrates how interdisciplinary integration enables a multi-level analysis linking cognitive, structural, and behavioural dimensions of policymaking.
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Tesis (Doctor of Psychology)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2025
Keywords
Interdisciplinary Policy Analysis, Psychology, Science for Public Policy, Evidence-Based Policy Making