Testing models of agenda building

Abstract

One of the problems of the policy process literature is that it is descriptive nature. Recent literature on agenda building suggests that there is a new phase of empirical testing of policy process concepts. This article seeks to further that literature by testing two alternative conceptions of agenda building, models developed by Cobb and Elder, and by Kingdon. The article reviews the recent empirical literature and outlines the two models. It then employs frequency distributions of articles in The New York Times and congressional hearings to test the models using three case studies. The case studies are acid deposition, stratospheric ozone depletion and global climate warming. The analysis concludes that the Kindgon model better explains agenda building in these three cases. The article suggest further research is needed to expand the analysis.