Formation of Social Agenda
The Formation of the Social Agenda and the Policy Cycle
A social problem simply exists; it must become a hot topic by attracting the attention of the public, the media, and politicians. This process occurs in four main stages:
A social problem simply exists; it must become a hot topic by attracting the attention of the public, the media, and politicians. This process occurs in four main stages:
1. Perception of the Problem (Social Agenda)
This stage begins with the definition of a situation as a "problem" in society.
This stage begins with the definition of a situation as a "problem" in society.
Social Reality: Objective conditions such as high unemployment and increasing immigrant ghettoization exist.
Definition: Academics, NGOs, and activists address these objective conditions and present analytical frameworks and reports that identify the problem as an "injustice" or "crisis."
Public Agenda: Individuals and communities begin to experience the problem in their own lives (e.g., lack of access to care or increasing social segregation in the neighborhood).
2. Media Agenda (Propagation)
The perceived problem must be widely disseminated and remain the focus of constant attention.
The perceived problem must be widely disseminated and remain the focus of constant attention.
Agenda Setting: Media outlets (newspapers, TV, social media) consistently and dramatically report on the issue. They particularly emphasize the emotional aspects of events or concrete data analysis.
Digital Impact: Campaigns or hashtags launched on social media allow the issue to rapidly go viral, creating pressure that the media and politicians cannot ignore.
3. Political Agenda (Decision-Making Stage)
Pressure from the media and the public brings the issue into the political arena. This is the most critical stage of the agenda.
Political leaders, party leaders, and bureaucrats decide which problems require legal regulation or budgetary support.
Pressure from the media and the public brings the issue into the political arena. This is the most critical stage of the agenda.
Political leaders, party leaders, and bureaucrats decide which problems require legal regulation or budgetary support.
Policy Formulation: The issue is developed into a "draft policy" or "proposed law," along with proposed solutions.
Examples: This stage includes the decision to review migrant worker employment rules or to add "social cohesion" criteria to urban transformation plans.
4. Policy Implementation and Evaluation
After the political decision is made, it's time to implement and evaluate the results.
After the political decision is made, it's time to implement and evaluate the results.
Implementation: Relevant ministries, local governments, and public institutions implement decisions (for example, opening a new immigrant integration center or increasing the minimum wage for care workers).
Feedback Loop: The effects of implementation are monitored and evaluated. If the policy fails to solve the problem, it is perceived as a problem again, and the cycle begins again.
