Power and discourse in the policymaking process

This thesis contributes to the understanding of how to research the process of policy formulation, how to practice policy influence, and how to create theoretical models to explain how policy formulation occurs. It applies the conceptual frames of Bourdieu and Fairclough's model of three-dimensional critical discourse analysis to analyse the policy discourse and argument relating to English HE policy between 2015 and 2016. The thesis argues that the Government's 2015 Green proposals represented the most radical policy shift in English HE policy for over 20 years, marking the end of the era of New Public Management and the beginning of a new era of HE Privatisation. It shows the significance of context that made that policy shift possible and analyses the effectiveness or otherwise of Government and stakeholder policy actors' discourse to exert power over each other, and the way Government used discourse to see its policy proposals gain acceptance. There are a number of implications for policy research, practice and theory arising from this research. First, it has shown that the application of discourse technologies in policy writing can increase the levels of influence of that writing, and that Critical Discourse Analysis can be profitably applied as a research methodology to the field of policy studies. Second, this study has demonstrated that a number of new discourse categories developed through this thesis augment its explanatory power when applied to policy discourse. Third, the thesis has adapted Fairclough's Three-Dimensional Model to integrate the role and agency of policy actors in each of the three dimensions. Fourthly, the eighteen precepts of a new theoretical approach to policy analysis, entitled the Fairclough-Bourdieu Framework are defined. This approach combines the models and concepts of Bourdieu and Fairclough, augmented with additional concepts and roles for policy actors developed through this thesis. Finally, the Fairclough-Bourdieu Framework is conceptually integrated with Kingdon's Multiple Streams Approach to extend the critical reach of one of the leading theories of the policy process. It concludes with recommendations for further research, to enable an even more comprehensive answer to the question 'How is policy made?'.