The Politics of Evidence

This book provides new insights into the nature of political bias with regard to evidence. It draws on both policy studies and cognitive psychology to understand how the origins of such bias derive from the fundamental nature of policy contestation, as well as the nature of human cognition and information processing.

Justin Parkhurst is an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science's Department of Social Policy. This book was written while he was previously Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Department of Global Health and Development.

List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Acknowledgments Part I: Evidence-based policymaking - opportunities and challenges Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Evidence-based policymaking - an important first step, and the need to take the next Part II: The politics of evidence Chapter 3. Bias and the politics of evidence Chapter 4. The overt politics of evidence - bias and the pursuit of political interests Chapter 5. The subtle politics of evidence - the cognitive-political origins of bias Part III: Towards the good governance of evidence Chapter 6. What is 'good evidence for policy'? - from hierarchies to appropriate evidence Chapter 7. What is the 'good use of evidence' for policy? Chapter 8. From evidence-based policy to the good governance of evidence Index