Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
2-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Program
Psychology
Advisor
Joshua W. Clegg
Committee Members
Michelle Fine
Brett Stoudt
Colette Daiute
G. Michael Guy
Subject Categories
Psychology
Keywords
evidence production, value kinds, evidence-based policy
Abstract
Values constitute an inescapable constant of any policymaking or evidence-production process. In this dissertation I explore ways in which socio-political, moral, and epistemic values inform evidence production and use in public higher education policy. In “Chapter One: Introduction and Literature Review”, I provide a brief overview of evidence-based policy as a practice. I then discuss three major categories of values, focusing on higher education examples whenever possible. Finally, I present the central study of this dissertation. The central question of my dissertation is In what ways do epistemic, socio-political, and moral values frame the production and deployment of evidence in institutional policy? I answer my research question with two case studies grounded in personal accounts of data analysts and policymakers in public higher education. In “Chapter Two: Autoethnography”, I conducted an autoethnographic investigation of my own work as a data analyst. I concluded that various kinds of values are negotiated simultaneously at different junctions of data analysis and report writing. I also concluded that socio-political and moral values tend to play a more dominant role compared to epistemic values during the initial stages of work, such as a decision to join the project. Additionally, I concluded that an individual analyst has some degree of freedom and agency to enact their values during the evidence production process, but their actions are moderated by other stakeholders and institutional structurers. “Chapter Three: Interviews” presents findings from a modified grounded theory analysis of 8 semi-structured interviews with higher education policymakers. In this chapter, I similarly concluded that policymakers negotiate various kinds of values simultaneously throughout the policymaking process and that the meaning of at least some values is dependent on the context in which they are enacted. I also concluded that policymakers operate within implicit institutional value structures. Furthermore, in my analysis I demonstrated that uncertainty represents an inescapable reality of evidence-based policymaking and that moral questions tie into every aspect of policymaking, particularly when action must be taken in light of limited evidence. In “Chapter Four: Discussion and Conclusion”, I discuss the theoretical, personal, and practical implication of my findings, as well as the limitations of this study and directions for future research.
Recommended Citation
Pryiomka, Karyna, "Values in Evidence-Based Policy: Bridging Socio-Political, Moral, and Epistemic Domains" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5628