Wicked problems or second-order problem? A phenomenological stance

Abstract

The notion of has highlighted the complexity of public policy challenges such as climate change, yet its analytical potential has proven difficult to apply in decision-making. This article proposes a reconceptualization: shifting from the analyst's phenomenology, which dominates current interpretations, to that of the decision-maker. From this perspective, wicked problems appear as, understood as managerial challenges observed by decision-makers rather than merely analytical puzzles. This shift reframes public policy not as the description of wickedness itself-since wicked problems are ultimately indescribable-but as the ongoing operation of a. Such a system can be analyzed, provided the epistemological stance departs from positivism and embraces interpretivism and social constructivism. These perspectives, closely linked to interpretive policy analysis, enable a more practical engagement with complexity. Consequently, the proposed approach has significant implications for both policy analysis and its interpretive methodologies.

Más información

Título según WOS: ID WOS:001587580900001 Not found in local WOS DB
Título de la Revista: CRITICAL POLICY STUDIES
Editorial: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Fecha de publicación: 2025
DOI:

10.1080/19460171.2025.2560388

Notas: ISI