Targeted Universalism: Policy & Practice

Primer May 2019 Targeted Universalism Policy & Practice by john a. powell, Stephen Menendian, Wendy Ake HAASINSTITUTE.BERKELEY.EDU This primer is published by the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at UC Berkeley About the Authors Editors john a. powell is the Director Stephen Menendian of the Haas Institute for a Wendy Ake Fair and Inclusive Society and Professor of Law, African Copyeditor American, and Ethnic Studies Stacey Atkinson at the University of California, Mirror Image Publishing Berkeley. Layout / Design Stephen Menendian is the Rachelle Galloway-Popotas Assistant Director and Director of Research at the Haas Cover Art and Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Custom Illustrations Society where he oversees the Column Five Institute’s research initiatives and projects, including the Report Citation Inclusiveness Index, fair powell, john, Stephen Menendi- housing policy and opportunity an and Wendy Ake, “Targeted mapping project, and universalism: Policy & Practice.” community engagement. Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, University Wendy Ake directs the Haas of California, Berkeley, 2019. Institute’s Just Public Finance haasinstitute.berkeley.edu/tar- project. She also consults on geteduniversalism. the Institute’s application of the targeted universalism policy Published in May 2019. framework and inclusive strate- gic philanthropy. Wendy’s work Contact explores exclusive economic structures and the potential of 460 Stephens Hall inclusive transformational eco- Berkeley, CA 94720-2330 nomic systems. Tel 510-642-3326 haasinstitute.berkeley.edu Contents Introduction 5 Categorizing Strategies 7 Universal Strategies ........................................................................7 Targeted Strategies ....................................................................... 11 Targeted Universal Strategies ..................................................... 15 Creating a Targeted Universalism Framework 21 Step 1: Establish a universal goal .............................................. 21 Step 2: Assess performance relative to goal .......................... 22 Step 3: Identification of different performance between goal and overall population. ......................................... 23 Step 4: Assess and understand the structures . .................... 24 Step 5: Develop and implement targeted strategies ............. 26 Targeting Within a Targeted Universalism Framework 29 Transactional versus Tranformative Change 35 Universal Goals and Limited Resources 38 Building the Table for a Targeted Universal Framework 39 Conclusion: Equity 2.0 42 Endnotes .......................................................................................... 44 Further Reading .............................................................................. 46 There is a hunger for fresh approaches and urgent demand for novel policy methods that can break through our political gridlock, address the problems of our time and create new avenues for thriving individuals and communities. Targeted universalism is an approach that supports the needs of the particular while reminding us that we are all part of the same social fabric. 4 Targeted Universalism: Policy & Practice @haasinstitute Introduction THE WORLD IS BESET by a range of overwhelm- group benefits, or benefits disproportionately, then ing challenges and intransigent problems that de- other groups may feel left behind or overlooked. mand a policy response. Although political leaders The insistence that government and other public may agree on the need for action, there is often institutions remain neutral is eroded by a sense disagreement over what constitutes an appropriate that the government is taking sides or has taken and legitimate response.i For example, the waves of the wrong side. refugee and migrant crises and the issue of widen- In an era of political polarization and fiscal auster- ing economic inequality are two recent examples of ity, policy debates too readily become trapped in crises in which policymakers are deeply divided on a binary of either universal responses or targeted 1 the best path forward. The seemingly diminished solutions. Universal responses enjoy a degree of capacity of government to address or forestall re- legitimacy in a diverse and pluralistic society, but peated waves of social crises across the globe is they may also be viewed as unaffordable and overly exacerbated by political polarization regarding what ambitious, while also inadequate at helping those constitutes an appropriate or effective response. most in need. Therefore, the most marginalized Many policy disagreements are framed by familiar people are often the most skeptical of ostensibly debates about the role of government and the na- universal policies. Targeted policies may be more ture or extent of the problem, as well as pragmatic efficient and less costly, but by targeting a partic- concerns about how to structure or formulate ular group, these approaches are often viewed as policy for sustainable impact. More than differenc- unfairly helping one group over another, seeding es of ideology or disagreement over facts, howev- hostility and resentment. er, underlie these divides. Political polarization is Even well-intended policy interventions may inad- fueled by a growing feeling of unfairness and the vertently exacerbate inequality, but the absence of perception that policy is a zero-sum game. If one viable methods and workable policy frameworks ensures the perpetuation of “in-groups” and “out- i Policy interventions follow three sequential steps: First, recog- groups.” There is hunger for fresh approaches and nition of a social, economic, political, or environmental problem. policy methods that can break through our political In some cases, there is a lack of consensus that a problem ex- gridlock, address the problems of our time, and cre- ists. For example, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, ate new avenues for thriving individuals and commu- some political leaders deny that climate change is an environ- nities. Targeted universalism is an alternative to either mental problem. Second, policymakers must decide that the problem requires and merits a policy response. Not every gov- universal or targeted strategies with the potential to ernmental entity has jurisdiction to address or respond to policy bridge our most intransigent policy divides. problems that arise within their jurisdiction. And, for prudential Targeted universalism means setting universal or ideological reasons, some political leaders may believe that the problem, such as it exists, does not merit governmental goals pursued by targeted processes to achieve intervention. Third, policymakers must select an appropriate and those goals. Within a targeted universalism frame- effective policy response, and develop sufficient consensus work, universal goals are established for all groups to promulgate and implement it. Policy debates often involve concerned. The strategies developed to achieve disagreement at each step. Sometimes, however, policymakers debate the same issue at different steps, and thereby talk past those goals are targeted, based upon how different each other. This report focuses on the third step, and assumes groups are situated within structures, culture, and that there is consensus on the first and second steps, but dis- across geographies to obtain the universal goal. agreement at the third step. We acknowledge that this may not Targeted universalism is goal oriented, and the always be the case, and therefore the framework in this primer processes are directed in service of the explicit, may not be able to help resolve every policy debate. universal goal. @haasinstitute Targeted Universalism: Policy & Practice 5 Targeted universalism is a platform to operationalize programs that move all groups toward the universal policy goal as well as a way of communi- cating and publicly marketing such programs in an How to Use inclusive, bridging manner. It is an approach that supports the needs of particular groups, even the This Primer politically powerful or those in the majority, while Read it. This publication explains the framework reminding everyone that we are all part of the same of targeted universalism, discusses its advantages, social and civic fabric. As such, targeted universal- and provides a process and step-by-step frame- ist policies are more resistant to the critique that work for deriving targeted universal strategies. government programs serve special interests, who- Reading the document will provide a comprehen- ever that might be. sive understanding of targeted universalism me- We urgently need aligned and coherent strate- chanics and potential. gies that create belonging and promote bridging. Apply it. This publication offers a workbook expla- Targeted universalism provides an approach for nation of how to operationalize what is otherwise orchestrating these efforts. Targeted universalistic a seemingly abstract policy methodology. In our interventions undermine active or passive forces experience, targeted universalism is simple con- of structural exclusion and marginalization, and ceptually, but complex in application. Therefore, we promote tangible experiences of belonging. Out- encourage you to work with the process, consider groups are moved from societal neglect to the how it may frame your current work, or attempt center of societal care at the same time that more concrete applications of the strategy in your work. powerful or favored

Load more