In dealing with wicked problems, policymakers increasingly are confronted with three competing 'knowledge claims': the notion of evidence-based policy, alternative 'commons knowledge' created by citizens, and 'fact-free' politics. Consequently, the knowledge base for dealing with wicked problems is becoming increasingly contested. This paper…

Background: Continued evolution of knowledge-to-action (KTA) theories requires increased attention to dynamics of power and ways to integrate multiple forms of knowledge. Peer learning -- a process through which knowledge users interact with other learners -- is a valuable but largely unexamined strategy for integrating practice-based knowledge in…

Ex ante research can contribute to evidence-informed policies. In this article, we explore numbers and types of ex ante studies as well as their use. First, we took stock of a potentially wide range of ex ante studies published by the Dutch government between 2005 and 2011, applying a systematic approach. Though unevenly distributed across…

The use of evidence in health promotion has become the gold standard, and obliges rethinking how to increase the (often limited) use of evidence in public health policy. Recently calls have been made to reconceptualise science policy relations as dynamic, interactive and co-constructive practices. Building on a qualitative investigation of an…