Funny Evidence: Female Comics are the New Policy Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The last decade has seen on-going issues of gender inequity as well as arguably the golden age of female comics. From Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's renditions of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton in 2008, to Amy Schumer's critique of US college rape culture, this is an extraordinary time to consider the role of female comics in policy making. This article will examine this period by locating these comedic skills within the policy entrepreneur literature. First, it will review policy entrepreneurship elements; secondly it will propose a framework for policy entrepreneurship that builds on intersectional feminist principles. Lastly, it will apply the framework to female comic's influence on political issues. In all, we argue that female comics can serve as policy entrepreneurs in public administration by using their identity to locate themselves as relevant actors, attaching solutions to problems, biasing political outcomes, benefiting from their engagement, and introducing narratives that change the emotional habitus of an audience and influence the broader public.

The Costs of Pride: Survey Results from LGBTQI Activists in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia

“…Indeed, the effect of directing policies that impose an emotional tax on an already oppressed target population suggests a disproportionate impact (Schneider and Ingram 1993). Our findings are consistent with the literature on intersectionality and the way oppressed groups with multiple marginalized identities experience acute discrimination at the intersection of those identities (see Crenshaw 1991; Pepin-Neff and Caporale 2018). Fundamentally, structural and hierarchical systems render these identities vulnerable.…”

“…For instance, we argue that the age, race, and gender identity of activists could be powerful mediating factors on the selection of issues and tactics for a social movement because disproportionate emotional costs are levied on these groups. This is especially true at the intersections of these identities, which render them more vulnerable (Crenshaw 1991; Pepin-Neff and Caporale 2018). Indeed, activist campaigns with the best of intentions do not present an equal playing field for all.…”

“…For instance, in research on multiple streams theory, Kingdon (1984) notes the importance of public mood and Zahariadis (2007) postulates the way emotive features may be used to manipulate actors. Policy entrepreneurs use public attraction to certain emotional issues to advance their issues in the agenda and influence policy outputs (Mintrom 2000; Pepin-Neff and Caporale 2018).…”

A discourse network analysis of UK newspaper coverage of the “sugar tax” debate before and after the announcement of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy

“…As such they can be instrumental in setting the policy agenda, highlighting solutions to problems, getting the attention of policy makers and thus facilitating policy change [71]. More recently Pepin-Neff and Caporale have highlighted the importance of high-profile individuals in bringing about political change [72]. The size and central position of Jamie Oliver’s node in the supportive coalition is suggestive of his role as such a celebrity policy entrepreneur in the public debate on sugar tax and highlights the increasing sophistication and importance of public health activists.…”