Western Answers and Southeast Asian Questions: Applying the Concept of Policy

Policy is a construct in and about the practice of governing, and like other institutions, it is subject to adaptation. This article argues that "policy" is a distinct account of government, distinguishable from other accounts such as "tradition" or "market failure", and identifies the underlying assumptions of the policy account. The contemporary appeal of "policy" can be traced back to reform currents in American government from the post-war years, which gave rise to the emergence of "policy analysis" as a body of knowledge and a field of practice; the article traces the key elements of this "policy project". It goes on to identify the characteristics of government in Southeast Asia, and asks what questions are raised by the application of the concept of policy to the practice and the analysis of government in the region.