ABSTRACT
There are two approaches for integrating policy network analysis with macro-level analysis. One begins from macro-theories and applies meso-level analysis as a method of supporting macro-theories. The other puts network analysis at the centre and attempts to identify the features of the broader context which have an impact on meso-level processes. Although one should not overlook the role of parliament in the formation of meso-level policy networks, it is important not to overestimate it. Parliamentary support is a necessary but not a sufficient factor determining their nature. The causal link between state structures and meso-level policy networks is not, however, a strong one. Peculiar historical events may make their unique imprints on the shapes of networks. This chapter explores theoretically the way in which different organisational configurations of states either facilitate or constrain meso-level policy change when actors put the issue of policy change on to the agenda in sectors in which they do not traditionally participate in policy making.
