Context – refers to the antecedents and pressures leading to the
development of a specifi c policy. This requires an analysis of the economic,
social and political factors that give rise to an issue emerging on the policy
agenda. However, it goes beyond this and includes a study of the role played
by pressure groups and social movements that may have forced policy makers
to respond to the issue in the fi rst place. At this point it is important to
understand how the policy may relate to previous policy experience – to what
extent does it build on, or break with, previous policy? Clearly, an analysis of
context can take place at any level. Policies at the state or institutional level
(or indeed anywhere in between), will have their own context and including
this within the analysis is vital if the aim is to build up as full a picture as
possible of the policy process.