Prof Daniela Stehlik

Monday 2nd April, 2012 1pm-2pm

Larry Saha Room, Haydon-Allen #2175

‘Evidence-based policy’ is a commonly recognised term which, like the tip of an iceberg, appears to suggest that there is a well constructed and rigorous scientific foundation which supports it. The term also implies a certainty associated with this form of evidence collected. Such certainty appears to overcome any possible doubts raised during the process of gathering such evidence, as it becomes collated and presented to make a case for policy. As a component of a larger project, this presentation outlines  personal experience in such evidence gathering, on a national scale, (the National Review of Drought in 2008) and reflects on the value subsequently drawn for Federal policy development and some subsequent lessons for social science more broadly.