Hope, fear and public policy: towards empathetic policy process

Abstract

With current global issues that destroy people’s hope and create fear, public policy should become more emotionally sensitive. We argue that, under the umbrella of critical policy studies, incorporating interpretive policy inquiry into the policy process helps promote emotionally sensitive public policy that can increase hope to cope with fear. Accordingly, we propose a framework for fostering an empathetic policy process. The framework shifts the focus from expert knowledge of problems and solutions to the shared fearful and hopeful feelings and wishful and willful intentions. This article illustrates the operationalization of this policy framework through the Chiang Mai City Lab program (Thailand) case that attempted to address hope and fear through public policy in response to COVID-19. Although the practice cannot transform the techno-authoritarian policy culture here, we can draw lessons from articulating new narratives and emotionally sensitive methods in real-world policy.

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