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Lack of Guidance or Unclear Law? A Study of Abortion in a Policy Process Context in Northern Ireland

Lykke Madsen, Sara LU (2017) STVK02 20171
Department of Political Science
Abstract
In 2004, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (the DHSSPS) was ordered by the Court of Appeal to produce guidelines for healthcare professionals on the legal framework surrounding abortion in the region. The process, which came to last eleven long years, has been one characterised by intense struggle over meaning and been the main political battleground where the polarised opinions on abortion have been articulated. This thesis examines the process relating to the creation of the guidelines through Carol Bacchi’s “What is the Problem Represented to be?” approach, focusing on the function of problem representations within policy processes. A wide overview is given of abortion in a policy context in... (More)
In 2004, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (the DHSSPS) was ordered by the Court of Appeal to produce guidelines for healthcare professionals on the legal framework surrounding abortion in the region. The process, which came to last eleven long years, has been one characterised by intense struggle over meaning and been the main political battleground where the polarised opinions on abortion have been articulated. This thesis examines the process relating to the creation of the guidelines through Carol Bacchi’s “What is the Problem Represented to be?” approach, focusing on the function of problem representations within policy processes. A wide overview is given of abortion in a policy context in Northern Ireland. The analysis shows that while the policy of guidelines implied the constructed problem to be lack of guidance, the process has in fact undermined its own problem representation and effectively encouraged a problem representation instead focused on the lack of clarity within the law itself. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lykke Madsen, Sara LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20171
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
abortion, policy process, problem representation, Northern Ireland, Carol Bacchi
language
English
id
8907670
date added to LUP
2017-07-11 15:26:14
date last changed
2017-07-11 15:26:14
@misc{8907670,
  abstract     = {{In 2004, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (the DHSSPS) was ordered by the Court of Appeal to produce guidelines for healthcare professionals on the legal framework surrounding abortion in the region. The process, which came to last eleven long years, has been one characterised by intense struggle over meaning and been the main political battleground where the polarised opinions on abortion have been articulated. This thesis examines the process relating to the creation of the guidelines through Carol Bacchi’s “What is the Problem Represented to be?” approach, focusing on the function of problem representations within policy processes. A wide overview is given of abortion in a policy context in Northern Ireland. The analysis shows that while the policy of guidelines implied the constructed problem to be lack of guidance, the process has in fact undermined its own problem representation and effectively encouraged a problem representation instead focused on the lack of clarity within the law itself.}},
  author       = {{Lykke Madsen, Sara}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Lack of Guidance or Unclear Law? A Study of Abortion in a Policy Process Context in Northern Ireland}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}