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Re-thinking the coronavirus pandemic as a policy punctuation: COVID-19 as a path-clearing policy accelerator
[Punctuating the equilibrium: An application of policy theory to COVID-19]

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  • John Hogan
  • Michael Howlett
  • Mary Murphy

Abstract

This article joins with others in this special issue to examine the evolution of our understanding of how the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic impacted policy ideas and routines across a wide variety of sectors of government activity. Did policy ideas and routines transform as a result of the pandemic or were they merely a continuation of the status quo ante? If they did transform, are the transformations temporary in nature or likely to lead to significant, deep and permanent reform to existing policy paths and trajectories? As this article sets out, the literature on policy punctuations has evolved and helps us understand the impact of COVID-19 on policy-making but tends to conflate several distinct aspects of path trajectories and deviations under the general concept of “critical junctures” which muddy reflections and findings. Once the different possible types of punctuations have been clarified, however, the result is a set of concepts related to path creation and disruption—especially that of “path clearing”—which are better able to provide an explanation of the kinds of policy change to be expected to result from the impact of events such as the 2019 coronavirus pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • John Hogan & Michael Howlett & Mary Murphy, 2022. "Re-thinking the coronavirus pandemic as a policy punctuation: COVID-19 as a path-clearing policy accelerator [Punctuating the equilibrium: An application of policy theory to COVID-19]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(1), pages 40-52.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:polsoc:v:41:y:2022:i:1:p:40-52.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/polsoc/puab009
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    2. Veronica Q T Li & Liang Ma & Xun Wu, 2022. "COVID-19, policy change, and post-pandemic data governance: a case analysis of contact tracing applications in East Asia [A survey of COVID-19 contact tracing apps]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(1), pages 129-142.
    3. Azad Singh Bali & Alex Jingwei He & M Ramesh, 2022. "Health policy and COVID-19: path dependency and trajectory [Health care reform in Germany: Patchwork change within established governance structures]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(1), pages 83-95.
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    5. Stuart Gietel-Basten & Kira Matus & Rintaro Mori, 2022. "COVID-19 as a trigger for innovation in policy action for older persons? Evidence from Asia [International remittance flows and the economic and social consequences of COVID-19]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(1), pages 168-186.

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