Value Contradiction in Policymaking: The Case of Iranian Foreign Policy

Abstract

Some researchers in the field of public policy seek to explain the relationship between policymaker’s values and policy change. In this regard some theories have dominated the literature over the past decades; the most important ones are March and Olsen’s “Garbage Can Model”, Kingdom’s “policy streams,” and “Advocacy Coalition Framework”. These theories seek to build a theory of chaotic policymaking situation which will lead to anarchic and radical policy change. In this article, we posit a methodological innovation in the area of policy change by introducing the “Ideological Dualism” hypothesis into the policy change theory which occurs in ideological regimes like the Islamic Republic. This integration is accomplished through a study of the nature of the Islamic political philosophy and Iranian nationalism and the advocates of these ideas in policymaking system. The results help to further explain policy change and the role that various values play in prompting policy change or maintenance of the status quo.