Application: Democratic Governance and Policy Networks Policy networks are a prevalent feature of democratic governance. The policy network approach requires collaboration among interested parties in order to make progress in forming public policy. The various actors in a policy network organize, form coalitions, communicate, coordinate, and compete around policy issues of interest to them. Policy networks are organic entities that may change over time. Depending on the policy issue, today’s allies in a policy network may be tomorrow’s enemies. For example, conservative and libertarian groups may work together to defeat a new tax proposal but may quickly part ways over the legalization of medical marijuana. The operation of policy networks is shaped by the political, social, and economic climate in which they operate. To prepare for this Assignment: Review the articles “Analyzing and Managing Policy Processes in Complex Networks: A Theoretical Examination of the Concept Policy Network and Its Problems” in this week’s Learning Resources. Consider the definitions of policy network presented and the evolving structures and processes associated with the term policy network . Recall the issue you selected for this week’s Discussion and think about which actors and organizations might be part of the policy network related to the issue. . This is what I wrote about this week How should policy makers balance competing interests?  Policy makers have tried to balance competing interest since the beginning of time and have been successful had it until now.  Thanks to social media people all over the country are able to express their views on any and everything that is going right and wrong in this country.  Policy makers are now forced to listen to the people and can no longer turn a blind eye to what’s going on in the United States.  The Obama administration saw the impact of social media and used this platform to reach people who had never voted for and young people who never paid that much attention to politics.  According to Harvey (2014), “Social media has become as much a part of American politics as county fairs, according to Harvey.”   Philips, A., (2014).  Social media has had an impact on politics.    Retrieved from http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/aug/24/social-media-has-had-impact-politics/ . The Assignment (2 Briefly describe the issue you selected. Describe the actors and organizations in the policy network related to your chosen issue. Explain how democratic governance influences the operation of policy networks, specifically the one(s) related to your issue. Next, explain how policy networks influence democratic governance. Based on your analysis, draw conclusions and share insights about the relationship between democratic governance and policy networks. Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources .

1. Application: Democratic Governance and Policy Networks
Policy networks are a prevalent feature of democratic
governance. The policy network approach requires collaboration
among interested parties in order to make progress in forming
public policy. The various actors in a policy network organize,
form coalitions, communicate, coordinate, and compete around
policy issues of interest to them. Policy networks are organic
entities that may change over time. Depending on the policy
issue, today’s allies in a policy network may be tomorrow’s
enemies. For example, conservative and libertarian groups may
work together to defeat a new tax proposal but may quickly part
ways over the legalization of medical marijuana. The operation
of policy networks is shaped by the political, social, and
economic climate in which they operate.
To prepare for this Assignment:
Review the articles “Analyzing and Managing Policy Processes
in Complex Networks: A Theoretical Examination of the
Concept Policy Network and Its Problems” in this week’s
Learning Resources. Consider the definitions of policy network
presented and the evolving structures and processes associated
with the term
policy network
.
Recall the issue you selected for this week’s Discussion and
think about which actors and organizations might be part of the
policy network related to the issue.
.
This is what I wrote about this week

2. How should policy makers balance competing interests?
Policy makers have tried to balance competing interest since the
beginning of time and have been successful had it until now.
Thanks to social media people all over the country are able to
express their views on any and everything that is going right
and wrong in this country. Policy makers are now forced to
listen to the people and can no longer turn a blind eye to what’s
going on in the United States. The Obama administration saw
the impact of social media and used this platform to reach
people who had never voted for and young people who never
paid that much attention to politics. According to Harvey
(2014), “Social media has become as much a part of American
politics as county fairs, according to Harvey.”
Philips, A., (2014).
Social media has had an impact on politics.
Retrieved from
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/aug/24/social-media-has-had-
impact-politics/
.
The Assignment (2
Briefly describe the issue you selected.
Describe the actors and organizations in the policy network
related to your chosen issue.
Explain how democratic governance influences the operation of
policy networks, specifically the one(s) related to your issue.

3. Next, explain how policy networks influence democratic
governance.
Based on your analysis, draw conclusions and share insights
about the relationship between democratic governance and
policy networks.
Support your Assignment with specific references to all
resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a
reference list only for those resources
not
included in the Learning Resources for this course.