This presentation shows some findings from my thesis titled “Habermasian Comparative Drug Policy Analysis of Poland and the United Kingdom.” This presentation demonstrates strengths and weakness of using pluralist (Advocacy Coalition Framework and Multiple Streams Framework) and critical frameworks (Policy Constellations) of policy stability and change. The policy changes this thesis focuses on are: Polish criminalisation of drug possession in the year 2000, British reclassification of cannabis from class B to C in 2004 and its later upgrade back to B in 2009, as well as responses to novel psychoactive substances in both (approximately 2007-2018).
Presentation concludes that although pluralist theories (ACF and MS) allow for descriptive explanations of policy stability and change, they are in places limited when it comes to their understanding of power and influence. This is where Habermasian perspective can be beneficial.