The process of public policy: literature review, theoretical reflections and suggestions for future research

Abstract The objective of this article is to broaden the understanding about the policy process from the systematization of its main constructs, presenting some theoretical reflections and a research agenda. The literature review is based on three international models: the Multiple Streams, The Advocacy Coalitions Framework, and The Punctuated Equilibrium Theory, which have been increasingly applied in research in Brazil. They all consider the policy process the result of the interaction of many variables, such as institutions, actors, ideas and beliefs assuming that public policy would result from these interactions over time. The analysis undertaken showed that the models understand the policy process as marked by the dichotomy between “change” versus “stability”, and they focus on explaining change, although each model has a specific understanding of what is ‘change’. The actors’ ability to influence the political process is understood either as a direct consequence of the resources or as a consequence of individual’s capacity for action. The main contribution of this article is to establish theoretical reflections and notes for future research and collaborate with the current Brazilian agenda that aims at the construction of theoretical and methodological tools for the analysis of public policies.