The Ontological Basis of Paradigmatic Public Policy Change and Their Theoretical Implications

Abstract

The work problematizes the ontological basis of some explanations about paradigmatic change in public policies. Methodologically, the article carries out a literature review using the typology of ontological foundations for the causal explanation constructed by Patrick Jackson to classify the different explanations of paradigmatic change in public policies. It is argued that disagreement persists about the paradigmatic change in policies, as well as on the concept of paradigm concept, due to the different ontological foundations at stake. It could also established that this disagreement is partially inherited from Peter Hall, since in his work we find ambiguity between two ontologically different causal explanations: one that would lead to considering that the paradigm change may be incremental, and another one that places it as different in nature from social learning. In terms of substantive theories, this ontological difference is expressed between approaches that are more focused on institutions —and actors— and approaches that are more focused on ideas to explain the paradigmatic policy change. This helps to clarify certain discussions about the interaction between ideas and institutions in the processes of gradual-cumulative change recently theorized.