Building on theories of social learning and policy change, this article argues that reflexive learning provides a causal mechanism for how public engagement in policy formulation can trigger policy innovation. Reflexive learning is a mode of learning that takes place during policy formulation and is most likely to occur in policy areas marked by considerable uncertainty and complexity (low problem tractability) and the participation of a wide range of actors (low actor certification). We contend that reflexive learning processes can restructure policy problems and widen the menu of available policy options and prompt policy elites and citizens to collectively update their beliefs, resulting in policy innovation. We probe the plausibility of this mechanism of policy change through a comparative study of universal pre-kindergarten policy making in the US and Canada. Through two paired comparisons (Florida and California; Ontario and Alberta), we find that policy innovation occurs when publics are engaged in policy formulation through iterative, ongoing public consultation on policy instruments and settings. Reflexive learning among publics and policy elites generates legitimacy, facilitating major policy change.

中文翻译：

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令人困惑的公众：反思性学习在加拿大和美国普及学前班 (UPK) 政策制定中的作用

本文以社会学习和政策变化理论为基础，认为反思性学习为公众参与政策制定如何触发政策创新提供了因果机制。反思性学习是在政策制定过程中发生的一种学习模式，最有可能发生在具有相当大的不确定性和复杂性（低问题易处理性）以及广泛参与者（低参与者认证）的政策领域。我们认为，反思性学习过程可以重构政策问题并拓宽可用政策选项的菜单，并促使政策精英和公民集体更新他们的信念，从而导致政策创新。我们通过对美国和加拿大普遍的学前班政策制定的比较研究来探讨这种政策变化机制的合理性。通过两个配对比较（佛罗里达和加利福尼亚；安大略和阿尔伯塔），我们发现当公众通过对政策工具和环境进行迭代、持续的公众咨询参与政策制定时，就会发生政策创新。公众和政策精英之间的反思性学习产生了合法性，促进了重大的政策变革。