Doctoral Dissertation Research: Framing, Epistemic Communities and Scientific Consensus in Developing Countries

标题：博士论文研究：发展中国家的框架、认知社区和科学共识PI：Peter Haas和Kemi GeorgeProposal编号：0648473摘要：在欠发达国家(LDC)，认知社区如何发挥作用？认知共同体研究是在国际关系理论的建构主义学派中发展起来的，目的是解释非国家行为者如何影响政府政策的制定。认知社区是科学家的社会网络，他们共享有效性的主张，行动的理由，并在因果论点上持有共识。共识是认知共同体影响决策的因果机制。在认知复杂的情况下，协商一致使相互竞争的主张失去合法性，减少不确定性，并澄清适当的政策回应。一些高度工业化国家发起并成功执行了国际环境条约，包括欧洲经济委员会的《远距离跨界空气污染公约》和《保护臭氧层的维也纳公约》，这些都归功于知识界。然而，尚不清楚对重债穷国政策制定者具有说服力的环境论点是否会在最不发达国家的社会经济背景下产生共鸣。最不发达国家在世界资本生产中处于从属地位，环境决策相对容易受到发展压力的影响。这项关于认知问题框架的研究假设，被框定为“符合”现有社会政治结构的论点更有可能被政策制定者选择，并随着时间的推移而持续下去。因此，在最不发达国家，环境知识主张必须以经济上合理的术语从战略上加以框定，才能具有说服力。将科学语言翻译给政策制定者的“知识经纪人”将在选择合适的框架方面发挥重要作用。该项目将在牙买加以前开展的工作的基础上，对墨西哥和埃及为履行其作为《生物多样性公约》签署国的义务而实施的环境管理政策进行比较分析。它将确定使用的框架的类型，这些框架是如何通过与政策制定者的互动而改变的，以及它们在改变国家行为方面是否有效。这些信息将通过对知识社区成员、知识经纪人和政策制定者的深入访谈以及对档案材料的分析来收集。框架有效性将通过国家对认知前和认知后社区参与后人类活动的监管来衡量。通过研究框架，本项目通过澄清知识主张的社会背景的重要性，为认知社区方法增加了分析深度。此外，通过指出哪些框架可能具有说服力，该项目将提出可能对发展中国家的环境倡导者有效的战略。该项目的成果将在地区和国家学术会议上公布，本论文拟发表。

Title: Doctoral Dissertation Research: Framing, Epistemic Communities and Scientific Consensus in Developing CountriesPIs: Peter Haas and Kemi GeorgeProposal Number: 0648473Abstract: How do epistemic communities function in lesser developed countries (LDCs)? The study of epistemic communities was developed in the constructivist school of International Relations theory to explain how non-state actors can influence governmental policy creation. Epistemic communities are social networks of scientists that share claims to validity, rationales for action and hold a consensus on causal arguments. Consensus is the causal mechanism with which epistemic communities influence policy making. In cognitively complex circumstances, consensus de-legitimates competing claims, reduces uncertainty, and clarifies appropriate policy responses. Epistemic communities have been credited with the initiation and successful implementation of international environmental treaties in several highly industrialized countries (HICs), including the Economic Commission for Europe's convention on Long Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution and the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer. However, it is not clear that environmental arguments that are persuasive to policy makers in HICs will resonate in the socioeconomic context of LDCs. LDCs occupy a subordinate position in the production of world capital and environmental policy-making is comparatively vulnerable to developmental pressures. The study of cognitive issue-framing posits that arguments that are framed to 'fit' with an existing sociopolitical structure are more likely to be selected by policy makers and endure over time. In LDCs then, environmental knowledge claims must be strategically framed in economically rational terms in order to be persuasive. 'Knowledge brokers' who translate scientific language to policy makers will play an important role in choosing appropriate frames. This project will expand on previous work conducted in Jamaica by undertaking a comparative analysis of environmental management policies implemented in Mexico and Egypt to comply with their obligations as signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It will establish the types of frames used, how these frames are altered through interactions with policy makers, and whether they are effective in altering state behavior. This information will be gathered by in-depth interviews of epistemic community members, knowledge brokers and policy makers, and by analyses of archival material. Frame effectiveness will be measured by state regulation of human activity pre- and post-epistemic community involvement. By studying framing, this project adds analytical depth to the epistemic community approach by clarifying the importance of the social context of knowledge claims. Further, by indicating which frames are likely to be persuasive, this project will suggest strategies that are likely to be effective to environmental advocates in the developing world. The results of this project will be presented at regional and national academic conferences, and the dissertation is intended for publication.