Murdoch, Zuzana, Connolly, Sara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6714-3493, Kassim, Hussein ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7603-8377 and Geys, Ben (2022) Legitimacy crises and the temporal dynamics of bureaucratic representation. Governance-An International Journal of Policy Administration and Institutions, 35 (1). pp. 65-82. ISSN 0952-1895
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Abstract
The representation of specific groups and social interests within (or by) the civil service has long been a concern of public administration scholarship. Yet, much of this literature focuses on representation at a single point in time. In this article, we propose a more dynamic perspective. In terms of theory, we postulate specific temporal relationships between triggering cues (e.g., a crisis event) and the representation decisions of civil servants. We specify two complementary mechanisms underlying these relationships: i.e. a sensemaking process whereby the perceived meaning and relative salience of distinct groups and interests changes over time; and a shift in bureaucrats’ discretion to represent specific groups or interests changes over time. We illustrate these time-dependent processes using interview and survey data from the European Commission.
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