Założenia teoretyczne i metodologiczne nauk o polityce publicznej

The article contains a handful of reflections on selected methodological aspects of public policy sciences. However, the clarity of presentation requires a reference to issues that go beyond strictly methodological matters. In particular, it was deemed important to invoke the arguments focused arou nd the theoretical status of research on public policies. The first part of the paper comprises an account of the theoretical and methodological status of public policy sciences. In order to illustrate the ongoing debate on whether or not they constitute a scientific discipline, arguments espoused both by its proponents and opponents have been presented. The second part contains a summary of the central strands of research pursued on the basis of public policy studies and their dominant methodological orientations. The final part of the article outlines rudimentary theoretical and methodological dilemmas faced by public policy sciences.