Research and analysis for policymaking

To provide some examples, both academic and applied research usually start with desk research to refine the research question and review existing literature on the topic. Desk research is a type of secondary research that reviews and synthesizes relevant available research and analysis. In contrast, primary research entails the generation of data by directly doing interviews, taking polls, applying questionnaires, and the like. Desk research is particularly useful during the first stages of the policy cycle: issue identification; data, research and analysis; and policy formulation. As with data (see Traditional migration data sources), quantitative research focuses on quantifiable evidence to identify trends and patterns while qualitative research focuses on understanding why a phenomenon might be occurring and the different perceptions and factors that influence it.

One particularly useful type of academic publication for policymakers is the systematic literature review. These establish what is known from research, but also what remains to be researched. Their focus is “on ensuring a comprehensive review of all existing literature on the issue”; “they also appraise the evidence” (Bryman, 2008). They can therefore also be used very effectively when one seeks to confirm the credibility and relevance of a source.

The majority of academic research material starts with an abstract, which can already help policymakers identify the relevance of a particular article for the issue they want to tackle. Some journals include policy recommendations and executive summaries, in an attempt to become more policy oriented.

The process of peer review, which is obligatory for publication in well-established and acknowledged scientific journals or publishing houses, ensures that the research meets scientific standards, and is thus credible. Given the pressure for academics to “publish or perish”, not all research is of good quality, which is why peer review is so important. Peer review is, however, a time-consuming process that delays publications often to almost a year after submission. This is often incompatible with the fast-paced process of policymaking.

Academic research is not specifically targeted at policymakers and the texts are not necessarily solution oriented or meant to inform policy. The long format of academic articles and especially monographs and books and the extensive use of academic language is often considered a barrier to using these sources in policymaking. That said, a number of academics do work towards informing policy and notable efforts are being made both to invite academics to make contributions and to increase their capacity to produce research that is policy relevant, concise and written in non-technical language.

Accessing academic research material can be done through academic databases or directly through journals and libraries. This, however, requires knowledge of search tools and subscriptions, which can be very costly. Open source directories are aiming at improving access and are increasingly widespread. Other solutions for accessing subscription material is through local, national or university libraries that may have access to several online databases and journals, often in addition to print copies.

Policy papers and briefs mainly target policymakers, focusing on policy analysis and policy recommendations. They may be produced in-house, be commissioned by governments or intergovernmental organizations, or may be funded by enterprises or NGOs, among others. The increasing focus of many organizations on migration issues, producing policy papers and briefs, reflects the increasing political, social and economic significance of migration.

The quality of policy papers and policy briefs varies significantly, depending on who publishes them and under what circumstances. In contrast with academic material, policy papers do not usually go through the process of peer review. Moreover, the funding, political affiliation or ideologies of the publisher may affect the quality of the research and induce bias. However, an increasing number of think tanks have been producing high-quality contributions.

The main goal of studies and reports is to provide an analysis of a specific topic, often in a specific region. While academic publications also include handbooks and studies, the ones mentioned here are more policy oriented. Work in the field by NGOs and intergovernmental organizations places them in a privileged position regarding the gathering of data, which often evolves into reports and studies.

Virtually all United Nations agencies publish annual or biennial reports as their flagship publication, while a wide range of them publish reports related to specific aspects of migration and migrants in light of their respective mandate (IOM, 2019). Their quality may vary depending on whether they have been subject to peer review. Agencies also produce technical reports stemming from the mandate of working groups or special procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council, such as the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. Their aim is to inform governments, parliaments, committees and other interested parties about the implementation of action plans and activities, about current trends and important updates or about the outcomes of conferences and efforts to create common policies.

Studies and reports can also be the outcome of work conducted in-house or commissioned by government departments. Studies that are commissioned research are sometimes not available to the general public. Their length also varies significantly depending on the scope of the study and the goal of the producer. Quality and credibility varies with the producers and their quality assurance processes.  

A specific type of report is the evaluation report. Produced or commissioned by governments, regional organizations, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations, evaluation reports aim to: 

• assess the success of a policy or project 

• provide recommendations 

• provide information on the methodology, the project planning and project implementation 

This type of research and analysis can be very useful for policymakers as it focuses on the outcomes of projects or policies. In particular, this type of information can be valuable to policymakers seeking best practices. However, again, depending on the regulations of each organization, this type of material may not be publicly available.

The increasing use of blogs as a way to disseminate information has led to the inclusion of blogs as a type of research and analysis useful for everyone with an interest in migration. Blog posts are usually concise articles posted on host websites and meant to reach new and wider audiences. Advantages include the open access nature of this material and its shorter, non-technical language. However, the credibility of the blog post mainly depends on the independence and expertise of the authors and the host website (IOM, 2019).

Capacity is necessary not only for commissioning the research but also for using the research. A common complaint by policymakers, government officials and experts alike is that studies commissioned and paid for by public funds often stay on the shelves and are not properly used. Governments may commission research because it is good for their public image or because of unused funds that need to be spent or just because they are looking for an argument in order to promote a policy that they already have in mind. It is very likely that in such circumstances research will be underused or even not used at all (Boswell, 2009). Building an evidence-based policymaking culture is important and takes time. It can be encouraged by successful cases of research informing policy.

Given that migration is a politicized field, research and policy are becoming increasingly intertwined. While researchers seeking to support the policymaking process should adjust to the fast pace of policymaking, they also need to keep their distance, rigour and objectivity. Governments can encourage policy-oriented research by exploring ways to engage with researchers at various stages of the policy cycle while always respecting the academic freedom of researchers. When research becomes institutionally connected to policymaking, it can become dependent on the policy context and to that extent can become biased (Scholten, 2018), which can negatively affect the credibility of the research. In addition to privileging topics that are related to policymakers’ agendas, the research can be used to support policy choices made previously. An in-house research unit can be an important asset for evidence-based policymaking if arrangements are made to preserve its independence.