P17 Policing and Public Value(s) in Turbulent Times

Corresponding chair and Review group chair

Eckhard Schröter eckhard.schroeter@dhpol.de

Panel convenors 

Phil Davies (Open University, UK)

Jean Hartley (Open University, UK)

Jeroen Maesschalck (Catholic University Leuven, Belgium)

Nicky Miller (Open University, UK)

Jennifer Norman (Open University, UK)

Edoardo Ongaro (Open University, UK)

Kathryn Quick (University of Minnesota, USA)

Paul Walley (Open University, UK)

Emma Williams (Open University, UK)

Description

In policing, the meanings and perceptions of public value(s) are particularly dependent on the chosen perspective of individual and collective actors or communities within society. Consequently, the study of policing as a public service serves as a magnifying glass through which societal rifts and their repercussions on public service design and delivery can be analysed. In doing so, the panel aims to tackle core questions of different sources of public service authority and legitimacy, the meaning of social equity, and the creation or destruction of public value(s).

This panel addresses police and policing from a public management, public policy, governance and/or organization studies perspective to examine the links between policing, public management and politics. The panel theme refers to changes and developments both inside and outside of police organizations. Inside police authorities, our theme may evoke questions of demographic and value changes of police officers, changing recruitment or training patterns and managing diversity of police forces. Going beyond internal management issues, policing in turbulent times is embedded in broader social and political issues, including rising tensions between “securitization” and civil rights and liberties, discriminatory practices of policing, protest policing, and fundamental questions of holding police authorities and officers to account. Therefore, we invite papers exploring questions such as: legitimacy, equity, power, authority, governance, organizational performance and accountability in policing; whether and how policing is value-creating or value-destroying; changing roles and expectations of police at points of societal change and stress (e.g., protest policing, social unrest, responding to natural disasters or public health crises); and comparative analysis of policing values, operations, or consequences in or across different locales. The panel invites theoretical and conceptual expositions as well as empirical contributions. Comparative perspectives across time, national borders or different cases of policing are particularly encouraged.

Submission of abstracts

We welcome submissions in a range of formats. Submissions, based on a short description of no more than 500 words (including abstract) should be made through the IRSPM conference system. 

Standard papers: to be offered for presentation in the panel which will be ongoing through the conference.  All papers will be allocated a discussant, and in submitting a paper, each author indicates their willingness to be a discussant on another paper. 

Round table discussion This will involve a set of short presentations on a particular topic, with presentations from three or more different countries, to enable a cross-national perspective on policing.  In submitting a round table idea, please contact the panel convenors directly in the first instance. 

When submitting your abstract, please note that the conference will be organized as a ‘physical event only’ event. Therefore, please ensure that you are: a) committed to participate in person in Budapest and b) do not propose a paper presentation in hybrid or online modes.

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