Key Practices of Knowledge Mobilization in Local Policy Settings
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22411531 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rosie Havers (Wales Centre for Public Policy Cardiff University Cardiff UK), Hannah Durrant (0000-0002-0143-8931, Wales Centre for Public Policy Cardiff University Cardiff UK), James Downe (0000-0003-0772-3183, Wales Centre for Public Policy Cardiff University Cardiff UK), Steve Martins (0000-0002-1883-5837, Wales Centre for Public Policy Cardiff University Cardiff UK), Steve Martin (0000-0003-2544-9480, Wales Centre for Public Policy Cardiff University Cardiff UK) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Administration Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-3352 • E-ISSN: 1540-6210 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/puar.70160 |
| OpenAlex | W7167783803 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 56 |
The literature on knowledge mobilization (KM) acknowledges the complex processes involved in the application of evidence to policy. However, the everyday activities employed by knowledge mobilizers to facilitate these processes have proved difficult to capture and codify. We address this gap in current understanding through empirical analysis of the practices used to mobilize knowledge in local policy making. We find that effective KM is characterized by relational interactions with diverse actors across research, policy and practice settings; constant and consistent engagement with the local and policy contexts in which evidence is being applied; and the integration of different types of knowledge (including research findings, professional expertise and lived experience) to collectively respond to policy and practice needs. These practices of KM have important implications for how evidence is defined, validated, and used by policymakers and practitioners.
Empirical evidence · Evidence-based policy · Key (lock) · Knowledge base · Mobilization · Policy analysis · Policy learning · Health Policy Implementation Science · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
Engaged Scholarship
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Wicked Problems in Public Policy
Understanding Narrative Inquiry
The in-between world of knowledge brokering
Scientific evidence and public policy
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Understanding brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners
Defining brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners
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Systems thinking, knowledge and action
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Reconsidering evidence-based policy
Do Policy Makers Use Academic Research? Reexamining the “Two Communities” Theory of Research Utilization
Toward More “Evidence‐Informed” Policy Making
Organizational and Individual Factors of Evidence Informed Policy Making in Public Organizations
What counts as evidence for policy? An analysis of policy actors' perceptions
Evidence and Policy‐Making
What makes evidence‐based policy making such a useful myth? The case of Nice guidance on bariatric surgery in the United Kingdom
The Two-Communities Theory and Knowledge Utilization
Telling Policy Stories
| Highly cited | No |
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