ABSTRACT

Policy processes traditionally dominated by government increasingly are open to participation by diverse non-governmental actors. This can result in more inclusive policy making, but undue influence that undermines democratic processes is also possible. We use insights from critical discourse analysis and framing theory to assess the discursive influence of non-state actors in the context of a government-led policy process to address eutrophication problems in the Lake Erie basin, shared by Canada and the United States. We analyze the actions of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation within the policy process to develop Domestic Action Plans to deal with nutrient runoffs. This research provides novel insights into how policy influence may occur in a process with multiplicity of stakeholders. In the context of efforts towards inclusive resource governance, this approach helps us reveal hurdles to the achievement of goals for sustainable resource use.

摘要

传统上由政府主导的政策进程越来越开放给不同的非政府行为者参与。这可以导致更具包容性的政策制定，但破坏民主进程的不当影响也是可能的。我们使用批判性话语分析和框架理论的见解来评估非国家行为者在政府主导的政策过程背景下的话语影响，以解决加拿大和美国共享的伊利湖盆地富营养化问题。我们分析了安大略省农业联合会和俄亥俄州农业局联合会在制定国内行动计划以处理养分径流的政策过程中的行动。这项研究为政策影响如何在利益相关者众多的过程中发生提供了新的见解。