Stepping up to the plate: Making social equity a priority in public administration’s troubled times

Research in the field of public administration has changed and advanced significantly in recent years. These advancements concern both how we engage in research-such as the methods we apply, the interdisciplinary nature of the theories we use, and the research questions we ask. Increasingly, we are witnessing a shift in public-sector values away from efficiency and effectiveness and toward a paradigm that highlights equity. In this article, we reflect on these changes from our position as editors-in-chief of some of the leading journals in the field. In addition to describing the progress of this discipline, we explore emerging windows of opportunity for new research. One such window is research on ways to incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives and methods. We also see the need for work in such areas as social equity, comparative administration, artificial intelligence, and climate change. Finally, we argue for a more proactive approach in disseminating research to those involved in the day-to-day decision-making processes of public organizations. | INTRODUCTIONThe role of public administration emerged with the development of the first formal governments. In ancient Egypt, pharaohs deployed servants to do their bidding and tax collectors to find and manage the flow of resources (El Baradei, 2021;Ferlie et al., 2005). The first concerted effort to improve public management practices occurred in

Section: Directions For Future Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Directions For Future Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The future of public administration research: An editor's perspective

McDonald

Hall

O’Flynn

et al. 2022

“…A search of the journal returned 265 articles including the phrase “social equity.” With some of the articles, like “Taking Social Equity Seriously in MPA Education” by Rosenbloom (2005) and “Social Equity is a Pillar of Public Administration” by Svara and Brunet (2005) being foundational papers on the importance of social equity in public service allocation and delivery systems and how to incorporate the concept into public administration teaching and also research. The rich literature on social equity has led to recent articles creating detailed guides to integrating social equity into public administration education (Berry‐James et al 2021).…”

Section: History Of Public Administration Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflecting on over 100 years of public administration education

Farrell

Hatcher

Diamond

2021

Public administration education has an interesting history rooted in numerous scholarly disciplines, such as sociology, political science, economics, and engineering. The article reflects on the last 100 years of scholarship on public administration education, starting with an article on the topic in the first issue of Public Administration in 1923. We provide a concise review focused on the development of public administration education over this time. Next, we discuss scholarship in top journals on public administration education, Journal of Public Affairs Education and Teaching Public Administration. We use Denhardt's (2001) big questions in public administration education as a framework to examine this scholarship. We conclude by discussing the future of public administration education and advocating a community-based approach to pedagogy practice and research in the field.

“…Research that is guided by critical theories (race, feminist, etc. ), queer theory, liberatory and resistance frameworks, and counternarratives (Berry- James et al, 2021;Blessett et al, 2016;Blessett & Gaynor, 2021;Matthews & Poyner, 2020;Riccucci, 2021) is integral to cultivating a pluralistic shift. Participatory approaches that center social equity inherently embrace funds of knowledge, cultural and communicative practices, and knowledge transmission and exchange processes that are not dominated by academics or practitioners (Ramos & Kiyama, 2021).…”

Section: E Is For "Equity and Diversity"mentioning

confidence: 99%

CO‐DESIGN‐ing a morecontext‐based, pluralistic, and participatory future for public administration

Schwoerer

Keppeler

Mussagulova

et al. 2022

Public administration (PA) increasingly faces new and emerging challenges. To address such challenges, researchers can work collaboratively with practitioners to identify and tackle the most pressing issues. Yet, intentionally establishing an ongoing dialogue not only between researchers and practitioners but between researchers, practitioners, and the communities that PA scholarship and practice are intended to impact can enhance all stakeholders' understanding of complex social problems and improve solutions. Forms of participatory and context-based research such as this are called many things across disciplines, but PA has yet to embrace such approaches fully. Thus, we introduce a framework entitled CO-DESIGN, intended to illustrate the process of advancing PA research through the co-production of knowledge between researchers, practitioners, and communities.Additionally, it serves as an acronym outlining eight focal areas we argue the co-production of knowledge can help advance. We discuss the CO-DESIGN process and agenda, including its implications for the field.