Social science mandarins: Policymaking as a political formula

This article strongly suggests that the customary sequence of events starting with science and terminating with policy-making lacks empirical confirmation; that in fact, the actual sequence of events is primarily determined by policy stances and terminates with some form of scientific investigation, geared however to legitimation rather than explanation. Four empirical case studies are examined: Brown v. Board of Education; Project Clear; Project Camelot; and the Moynihan Report. In each case it is evident that the causal model most appropriate is one that recognizes the legitimation role of social science as dominant. The article concludes with an examination of key factors in the present structure of government and science that makes the teleological model central; it also points out that such a model is neither better nor worse than the customary ways of viewing the relationships; only different in implication and explication.     

Assessment of Armenian local government corruption potential

Local government in many developing countries is prone to institutional and individual corruption. Using a set of questions developed for a Baseline Review of the status of procedures and practices of Armenian local governments, a general matrix was developed that may be applied to any local government in any country. The matrix looks at three broad areas where the potential for corruption has historically been high: awareness and reporting suspected corruption, procurement practices, and internal control practices and procedures. This article presents a methodology (the matrix questions) that will enable the development practitioner to rapidly assess the corruption potential and develop training or technical assistance to reduce the corruption potential. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.