Issue Framing and Engagement: Rhetorical Strategy in Public Policy Debates

Conventional wisdom and scholarly research indicate that to win a policy debate political actors should frame the issue strategically—that is, selectively highlight considerations that mobilize public opinion behind their policy position. Engaging the opponent in a dialogue (i.e., focusing on the same considerations) is portrayed as a suboptimal strategy because political actors forfeit the ability to structure the debate. Using over 40 public opinion polls and a detailed content analysis of news stories, I examine the use of framing and engagement strategies during the 1993–94 debate over health care reform. The analysis shows that engagement was more effective at increasing support for reform than framing. This study is the first to document the role of engagement in a policy debate, and it extends work showing that this strategy is more common in election campaigns than scholars once suspected.

Further Evidence of an Engagement–Achievement Paradox Among U.S. High School Students

Achievement, engagement, and students’ quality of experience were compared by racial and ethnic group in a sample of students (N = 586) drawn from 13 high schools with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic student populations. Using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), 3,529 samples of classroom experiences were analyzed along with self-reported grades. Similarities and differences in achievement, engagement, and quality of experience among white, black, Latino, and Asian students were examined. The most marked differences found were between black and white students. Consistent with several previous studies, an engagement–achievement paradox was found in which black students reported higher engagement, intrinsic motivation, and affect in classrooms, but lower GPA relative to white students. A similar engagement–achievement paradox was found for students from low SES communities compared to those from high SES communities. Analyses also revealed racial and ethnic differences in the relationship of engagement with on-task behavior and contextual factors. Being on-task when in classrooms had a more positive effect on the engagement of black students relative to white students. The contextual effect of being in school versus home or in public on engagement was also more positive for black students than white students. Contextual factors and measurement issues are emphasized in the interpretation of findings and suggestions for future research.

They Persist: Parent and Youth Voice in the Age of Trump

In recent decades, parents and youth involved in the child welfare and foster care systems have created myriad ways to have their voices heard and their concerns appreciated, including through collective self‐advocacy efforts. New forms of individual and communal advocacy have emerged, including with supportive professionals, that acknowledge the centrality of parents and youth in every decision being made about their lives and about the systems that control their lives. Nevertheless, studies of youth and parent engagement identify the numerous individual and systemic barriers to meaningful participation and self‐advocacy efforts and the challenges to overcoming those barriers. This essay explores how empowered parents and youth can surmount those barriers with the assistance of their professional allies. Ultimately, this individual and communal engagement will strengthen a family‐oriented child welfare system and a more responsive government in these uncertain times.     

Westminster constitutions in the South Pacific: A “policy transfer” approach

Constitutional crises in Fiji and Solomon Islands and donor concerns about “good governance” raise older questions about the appropriateness of introduced constitutions to local conditions. This article analyses the process of transfer of “Westminster” constitutions in island states of the Pacific. It considers the factors that facilitated or constrained transfer into and within the region. It also considers cases where alternatives to Westminster were considered but rejected by the local leaders. The article concludes that Westminster has been spread by replication, almost irrespective of underlying social and political conditions.     

对构建我国婚约制度可行性的思考

目前,我国婚姻法对婚约没有作出规定,但民间订立婚约的现象则是普遍存在的。一旦因为婚约问题而引发诉讼,相关司法解释也不足以解决婚约问题。为指导人们订立符合社会主义婚姻制度理念的婚约,规范人民法院审判婚约纠纷案件,有必要从法律上对于婚约制度进行一个全面的、制度上的研究,尤其是用如何立法的视角来看待这个问题,更具有建设性意义。本文正是以此为目的,从比较法的角度提出在我国建立婚约制度的可行性,希图为我国婚约制度的构建提出一些想法。     

冷战后日缅关系及日本对缅政策

1988年9月缅甸军政府上台之后,日本于1989年2月对其予以了承认,由此成为西方阵营中最先承认缅甸军政府的国家。日本希望通过与缅甸军政府保持建设性接触的方式,来促使缅甸逐步走向民主化进程。与欧美等国的强硬做法相比较,日本政府强调与缅甸军政府开展对话的重要性。在处理缅甸问题上,日本的政策表现更为稳健、温和。日本还会继续对缅甸采取建设性干预的政策,并在指导缅甸走向市场经济的过程中发挥更大的作用。     

从政治文明的视角透视政策过程中的公众参与

公共政策作为公共部门向社会提供的一种公共物品具有无可置疑的公共性。但现实表明,由于政策主体的单一性、缺乏多元化的利益表达和政策参与,公共政策时常会表现出与公共性相违背的一面。所以如何保证政策的公共性是我国政府必须关注的。从政治文明视角来看,当前我国政策过程中公众参与有诸多阻碍因素,推动公众参与对我国政治文明建设有重要意义。促进公众参与实现的途径一是培育参与型的政治文化,创造良好的政策参与氛围,并逐步培养公民政治素质、提高参与技能;二是加快公众参与的法律化、制度化、组织化建设,逐步建立健全公众参与的“通道”,保障公众参与的广度与深度。