Dr Karen West

Qualifications

PhD, MA, BSc (Hons)

Teaching

• Public policy, evidence and research
• Social needs and public services
• The public context of globalization
• The Making of Environmental Policy (from 09/10)

Research Interests

Governance, policy making, implementation and evaluation, local service delivery networks, public values and new understandings of policy.  I am currently interested in exploring the contribution that Science and Technology Studies-inspired thinking can make to our understanding of public policy, evaluation and implementation.  My current empirical focus is on policies directed towards the ageing population.   

Publications

International refereed journal articles

• Davis, P. and West, K., 2009 (forthcoming), 'What do public values mean for public action? Putting public values in their plural place', American Review of Public Administration.
• West, K., 2005 'From bilateral to trilateral governance in local government contracting in France', Public Administration, 83/2
• West, K., 2004, ‘Is the traditional French model giving way to a new ‘logic of appropriateness’? Lessons from urban waste management.’, Local Government Studies, 30/3. 
• West, K., Scanlon, K., Thornley, A. and Rydin, Y., 2003, ‘The Greater London Authority: Problems of Strategy Integration’, Policy and Politics, 31/4.
• Rydin, Y., Thornley, A., Scanlon, K. and West, K., 2004, ‘The Greater London Authority: A Clash of Organisational Cultures’, Environment and Planning C, 22.
• Thornley, A., Rydin, Y., Scanlon, K., and West, K., 2005, ‘Business Privilege and the Strategic Planning Agenda of the Greater London Authority’, Urban Studies, 42/20

Articles in progress and under review

• West, K. and Davis, P., 'What is the Public Value of Government Action? Towards a (New) Pragmatic Approach to Values Questions in Public Endeavours'
• Davis P., West, K. and Yardley, E. 'Into the Eye of the Storm? Local Government & Network Co-ordination in a Hurricane of National Policy Change.' IRSPM, Copenhagen
• Lorenzten-Hepsø, I. and West, K, Introduction to Public Values Symposium, American Review of Public Administration

Book sections

• West, K. 2007, ‘Intermunicipal cooperation in France: incentives, instrumentality and ‘coquilles vides’’, in Hulst, R and Van Montfort, A, Intermunicipal Cooperation in Europe, Kluwer/Springer.
• Thornley, A and West, K., 2005, ‘The contribution of the Greater London Authority to London’s Strategic Planning Agenda’, in Johnstone, C. and Whitehead, M, New Horizons in British Urban Planning, Ashgate.