Policy learning and policy analysis within European Union institutions : a systematic review and research agenda
- Author
- Bishoy Zaki (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- Policy learning plays a central role in both the survival and development of the European Union, serving as an institutional policymaking and governance logic. Yet, while research taking policy learning as an explicit theoretical lens to policy analysis within EU institutions provides several important contributions, it remains fragmented and relatively scarce, especially compared to that on the member states' level. Through a scoping systematic literature review, this article synthesises existing literature, mapping its theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and empirical landscape and gaps. Furthermore, it systematizes the triggers, facilitators, challenges, and outcomes of learning across four main dimensions: Institutional, Political, Contextual, and Problem-oriented. Leveraging this analysis, the article concludes with an agenda for future research along three key dimensions: theoretical, empirical, and methodological.
- El aprendizaje de políticas desempeña un papel fundamental tanto para la supervivencia como para el desarrollo de la Unión Europea, sirviendo como una lógica institucional de formulación de políticas y gobernanza. Sin embargo, si bien la investigación que utiliza el aprendizaje de políticas como una perspectiva teórica explícita para el análisis de políticas dentro de las instituciones de la UE ofrece varias contribuciones importantes, sigue siendo fragmentada y relativamente escasa, especialmente en comparación con la realizada a nivel de los Estados miembros. Mediante una revisión sistemática y exhaustiva de la literatura, este artículo sintetiza la literatura existente, mapeando su panorama teórico, conceptual, metodológico y empírico, así como sus lagunas. Además, sistematiza los desencadenantes, facilitadores, desafíos y resultados del aprendizaje en cuatro dimensiones principales: institucional, política, contextual y orientada a problemas. Aprovechando este análisis, el artículo concluye con una agenda para futuras investigaciones en tres dimensiones clave: teórica, empírica y metodológica.
- 政策学习在欧盟的生存与发展中扮演着核心角色, 是欧盟机构决策和治理的逻辑基础。然而, 尽管“以政策学习为明确理论视角, 对欧盟机构内部进行政策分析的研究”已取得诸多重要成果, 但与成员国层面的研究相比, 此类研究仍然较为分散且相对匮乏。本文通过范围系统综述, 结合现有文献, 梳理其理论、概念、方法论和实证现状及研究空白。此外, 本文还系统梳理了政策学习的触发因素、促进因素、挑战和成果, 并将其归纳为四个主要维度:制度维度、政治维度、情境维度和问题导向维度。基于此分析, 本文最后提出了未来研究的议程, 该议程围绕理论、实证和方法论三个关键维度展开。
- Keywords
- European Commission, European Institutions, European Integration, European Union, policy learning
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01KHX8GG6MM5422BXWSBDKDS70
- MLA
- Zaki, Bishoy. “Policy Learning and Policy Analysis within European Union Institutions : A Systematic Review and Research Agenda.” EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS, 2026, doi:10.1002/epa2.70036.
- APA
- Zaki, B. (2026). Policy learning and policy analysis within European Union institutions : a systematic review and research agenda. EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS. https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.70036
- Chicago author-date
- Zaki, Bishoy. 2026. “Policy Learning and Policy Analysis within European Union Institutions : A Systematic Review and Research Agenda.” EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS. https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.70036.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Zaki, Bishoy. 2026. “Policy Learning and Policy Analysis within European Union Institutions : A Systematic Review and Research Agenda.” EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS. doi:10.1002/epa2.70036.
- Vancouver
- 1.Zaki B. Policy learning and policy analysis within European Union institutions : a systematic review and research agenda. EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS. 2026;
- IEEE
- [1]B. Zaki, “Policy learning and policy analysis within European Union institutions : a systematic review and research agenda,” EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS, 2026.
@article{01KHX8GG6MM5422BXWSBDKDS70,
abstract = {{Policy learning plays a central role in both the survival and development of the European Union, serving as an institutional policymaking and governance logic. Yet, while research taking policy learning as an explicit theoretical lens to policy analysis within EU institutions provides several important contributions, it remains fragmented and relatively scarce, especially compared to that on the member states' level. Through a scoping systematic literature review, this article synthesises existing literature, mapping its theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and empirical landscape and gaps. Furthermore, it systematizes the triggers, facilitators, challenges, and outcomes of learning across four main dimensions: Institutional, Political, Contextual, and Problem-oriented. Leveraging this analysis, the article concludes with an agenda for future research along three key dimensions: theoretical, empirical, and methodological.}},
articleno = {{epa2.70036}},
author = {{Zaki, Bishoy}},
issn = {{2380-6567}},
journal = {{EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS}},
keywords = {{European Commission,European Institutions,European Integration,European Union,policy learning}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{15}},
title = {{Policy learning and policy analysis within European Union institutions : a systematic review and research agenda}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.70036}},
year = {{2026}},
}
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