ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with academic policy analysis and research utilization in cross-national perspective, starting from the proposition that there are variances, but also similarities, between countries. It explores these variances, thereby focusing on academic policy analysis—that is, policy analysis conducted by researchers at universities or affiliated research institutes. The chapter deals with different definitions of policy analysis and related terms, such as policy sciences or policy studies. It discusses what can be learned from the research utilization literature on the interface of public policymaking and academic policy analysis. The chapter considers the (albeit scanty) empirical evidence on cross-country variation: it distinguishes different dimensions of academic policy analysis and research utilization, including how well established the discipline of policy analysis is in a country. The chapter refers to a number of overarching trends and developments, some of which are supported by inter- and supranational organizations, such as the scientification and societalization of the research programmes of the European Union.
