One can make the case that many of the more radical iterations of policy research-I mean the postpositivist themes, including research in hermeneutics and critical theory-could also be easily incorporated into the policy process paradigm (see Hawkesworth, 1988 and deLeon, 1997). Marie Danziger (1995) made the case (drawing from Foucault and others) that the “objective” basis of policy analysis is little more than a subjective judgment and cannot be used as if it were scientific “fact” Critical theory, as an example, makes the case that “systematically” distorted communications” threaten the foundations of good policy and social legitimacy, that is, according to Jurgen Habermas, “communicative rationality” (see, e.g.,
Forester,1985, 1993)