How is empathy used in public service? A systematic literature review

Abstract

This systematic literature review (N = 65) takes stock of the public administration and policy literature and provides a systematic account of how empathy is currently theorized in public administration; how it is incorporated in practices of public servants; as well as avenues towards activating empathy in current and future public servants. The major shortcoming of empathy research in public administration is its piecemeal nature, lack of a holistic vision, or a grand theory of how to integrate empathy into practices of public servants or how to implement the affective turn in public administration. We conclude with recommendations for theory and practice.

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