What is Lesson-Drawing?

TLDR

Lesson‑drawing investigates when and how effective programmes can be transferred across contexts, noting that it is driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo, involves searching across time or space guided by proximity, expertise networks, and institutional authority, and is politically contested with uncertain desirability and practicality. The process starts with scanning programmes elsewhere and ends with a prospective evaluation of the impact of transferring such programmes here in the future. The conclusion highlights the uncertainty and instability of judgments about the practicality and desirability of transferring programmes.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Lesson-drawing addresses the question: Under what circumstances and to what extent can a programme that is effective in one place transfer to another. Searching for fresh knowledge is not normal; the second section describes the stimulus to search as dissatisfaction with the status quo. Lessons can be sought by searching across time and/or across space; the choice depends upon a subjective definition of proximity, epistemic communities linking experts together, functional interdependence between governments, and the authority of intergovernmental institutions. The process of lesson-drawing starts with scanning programmes in effect elsewhere, and ends with the prospective evaluation of what would happen if a programme already in effect elsewhere were transferred here in future. Lesson-drwaing is part of a contested political process; there is no assurance that a lesson drawn will be both desirable and practical. The conclusion considers the uncertainty and instability of judgements about the practicality and desirability of transferring programmes.