Schneider and Ingram. (1993). Social Construction of Target Populations: Implications for Politics and Policy.

"Our theory contends that the Social Construction of target populations has a powerful influence on public officials and shapes both the policy agenda and the actual design of policy. There are strong pressures for policy officials to provide beneficial policy to powerful, positively constucted target populations and to devise punitive, punishment oriented policy for negatively constructed groups" (334).
Me: is this not just stereotyping, and its derivation? How is this a theory of policy formation? It sounds like just another factor policy officials take into account when making self-interested policy choices... how is this not rational choice? their stereotype, yes, does influence what types of policy they make... but i dont think its a theory?!?

Social construction as it affects the policy agenda, policy tool selection, and the RATIONALITY of the individuals who make policy choices.

Social construction is defined as: cultural characterizations or popular images of the persons or groups whose behavior and well-being are affected by public policy. These characterizations are normative and evaluative, portraying groups in negative or positive terms through sumboic language, metaphors and stories (334).

Targets: those whom policies are directed towards. They can either be construed positively, or negatively. FOUR TYPES: 1.) Advantaged (which are seen positively and have power), 2.) Contenders (seen negatively but have the power--wealthy, minorities, moral majority), 3.) Dependents (seen positively but have little power--children, mothers), and 4.) Deviants (seen negatively and have no power--drug addicts, criminals, gangs). (Fig. page 336).

Policy: a message is sent about what is important and who is important with every piece of legislation; policies signify which citizens are deserving and which are not. Also, depending on the type (means tested or universal) it sends a message about which attitudes are appropriate when addressing the policy beneficiaries.

Policy Tools: "refer to aspects of policy intended to motivate the target population to comply with policy or utilize policy opportunities" (338). According to the authors' theory, policy tool selection will be affected by the social construction of the target population.
ME: DUH? why would a politician not alter their tool selection depending on who they are talking to. why is this novel??

Policy Rationales: "rationales justify the agenda, policy goals, selectiof of target pops and the tools chosen. the kinds of rationales differ depending upon the social construction of the target population and can be used either to perpetuate or to change social constructions" (339).

Which programs are seen as fulfulling a "justice" role as opposed to the role as entitlements? i.e. programs directed at Dependents--powerless yet positive social construction (working women). are these programs/policies seen as justice-serving? or seen as "handouts?"