Florence Faucher releases new book on the importance of symbols in the policy process
DPIR associate Florence Faucher and Director of the OxPo network has co-authored a new book which explores the relevance of symbols in the policy process.
In Symbolic Policy– published by Cambridge University Press and written with Laurie Boussaguet – Florence argues that while symbols are omnipresent in politics, they tend to be overlooked in the study of public policy.
The book demonstrates how they are integral to the policy process, in shaping citizens' representations thanks to their ability to combine meanings and to stimulate emotional reactions.
Focusing on two case studies - governmental responses to the Covid-19 crisis in Europe in 2020 and to terrorist attacks in France in 2015 - Florence and Laurie use crisis management as a lens through which they study this symbolic dimension.
They demonstrate how the symbolic enables leaders to claim legitimacy for themselves and their decisions, and foster feelings of reassurance, solidarity and belonging.
Florence said:
“All politicians use the symbolic, whether consciously or otherwise, but what they choose to do varies and is affected by timing, the existence of national repertoires of symbolic actions and the personas of leaders.
“With this book, we want to bring back to the fore a crucial but often overlooked dimension of public policy: how policy-makers engage the publics and try to shape understandings and perceptions of their actions and decisions.”
Florence is now starting a new project focusing on the European Union and the specific challenges it faces in terms of symbolic policy.
- Symbolic Policy is available as a free download until 31 December 2024.
