Policy Change Dynamics in Advocacy Coalitions

Policy change within advocacy coalitions unfolds through a combination of shared beliefs, strategic coordination and adaptive learning among diverse actors. Coalitions form when organisations and individuals coalesce around a common set of policy beliefs and preferences, pooling resources and expertise to advance their goals. These belief systems guide the selection of instruments and frames, while coalition members engage in joint strategies such as lobbying, public campaigning and expert testimony. Dynamics of change emerge both from internal shifts—through policy-oriented learning and reinterpretation of core beliefs—and from external perturbations, including electoral turnovers, judicial rulings or significant socio-environmental events. Policy subsystems, defined by the network of actors working on a specific issue, exhibit varying degrees of stability: mature subsystems often feature entrenched coalitions that reinforce existing policy trajectories, whereas nascent subsystems display fluid alliances that respond rapidly to novel challenges. Across sectors from fisheries and environmental protection to health and energy, research emphasises how resource mobilisation, network position and the capacity to broker alliances determine coalition influence. Comparative studies illustrate that policy outcomes are shaped not solely by the number of actors but by the strategic configuration of coalitions, their ability to learn collectively and their responsiveness to changing political climates. The global significance of these findings lies in informing more effective advocacy, illuminating paths to consensus building and guiding practitioners towards interventions that harness coalition strengths for lasting policy impact.

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Policy Change Dynamics in Advocacy Coalitions publication trend

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Technical terms

Advocacy coalition: A group of actors sharing core beliefs and coordinating strategies to influence policy within a specific subsystem.

Policy subsystem: A network of actors, institutions and interest groups focused on a particular policy domain, interacting over time.

Policy-oriented learning: The process by which actors within a subsystem revise beliefs or strategies in response to new information or changing conditions.

Policy broker: An intermediary actor who facilitates coordination, negotiates between coalitions and shapes policy outcomes through network connections.

References

1. Advocacy coalitions as political organizations. Policy and Society (2024).
2. How advocacy coalitions in Sweden explain the policy gap between Swedish and EU eel fishery policies. Ambio (2024).
3. Lessons from the Advocacy Coalition Framework for climate change policy and politics. npj Climate Action (2022).