What the study found
Academic expert involvement is not the same across Belgium's parliament, government, and media. The study found limited repeated participation and little overlap of experts across these arenas, while senior male professors from the social sciences and humanities were consistently overrepresented compared with the academic population.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that mapping when, where, and which academics are involved offers insight into whose voices shape evidence-informed policymaking. The study suggests that arena-specific dynamics help structure how scientific expertise enters policymaking settings.
What the researchers tested
The researchers compared academic expert involvement across three Belgian arenas: parliament, government, and the media. They analyzed a self-compiled dataset of 17,843 consulted actors, including 3,440 academic experts, and examined overall patterns, repeated participation, cross-arena overlap, and expert profile characteristics.
What worked and what didn't
The analysis showed substantial variation in academic involvement between arenas. Distinct arena-specific logics, including supply and demand dynamics, gatekeeper mechanisms, and mandate structures, were identified as important in shaping involvement, while repeated participation and cross-arena overlap were limited.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe limitations in detail beyond the study's focus on Belgium and the three selected arenas. The findings are based on the dataset and comparisons described in the abstract.
Key points
- Academic expert involvement differed substantially across parliament, government, and media in Belgium.
- Repeated participation by the same experts was limited.
- Cross-arena overlap among experts was limited.
- Senior male professors in the social sciences and humanities were overrepresented across arenas.
- Arena-specific logics such as supply and demand, gatekeeping, and mandate structures shaped involvement.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Academic experts show uneven involvement across policymaking arenas
- Authors:
- Janne Ingelbeen, Tessa Haesevoets, Bram Wauters
- Institutions:
- European Corporate Governance Institute, Ghent University, Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University Hospital, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts, HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-19
- DOI:
- 10.1111/padm.70057
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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