ABSTRACT
To what extent has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the relationship between policymaking and knowledge production/utilization in Europe? Specifically, what are the policy-learning effects related to gender differences in different European countries? This chapter compares the dynamic of the science–policy interface (SPI) in the UK, Germany, and Sweden. Doing so, the chapter enhances the discussion on institutional learning and knowledge utilization in governing pandemic uncertainty. Despite the variation of change of SPIs in different European institutional settings, pandemic politics has caused similar gender-specific consequences and burdens, thereby exposing the inadequacy of policy frame and action in understanding and handling COVID-19 and the resulting uncertainty. The chapter encourages anti-disciplinary research to promote a holistic mindset, deliberative policymaking, and reflexive learning and communication that are consistent, accountable, and gender sensitive.
