Place at the Table: Post-Positivist Attack

Hello,

In the mentioned article, Durning has summarized the Post-Positivist critique on Policy Analysts as "at best purveyors of ineffectual advice, and at worst, tools of tyranny". Although, the article goes on to call this criticism a "decontextualized caricature", but rejecting a point of view out of hand labeling it such has raised questions. The article goes on to say that Policy Analysts had come to be viewed as legitimate actors with defacto and dejure influences over political decisions.

1. How can they be "viewed" as legitimate with such powers and influence when there is no constitutional view about their legality?
2. Are we concerned about the Post-Positivist view? If we are, which we obviously are, why a detailed analysis of their view point has yet remained out of discussion?
3. Rivlen believed that Policy Analysts have probably done more to reveal how difficult the problem and choices were, rather than making decisions easy for the decision makers, if this is true for Policy Analysts, what is to be done to change that view?

DEFORESTATION (POLICY ANALYSIS PROJECT) BY RAJA TAIMUR HASSAN

PROBLEM STATEMENT:
" The rate of deforestation in Pakistan is 40000 hectares per year which is very high and alarming"

OVERVIEW:
Deforestation is one of the most significant global environmental problem. Total area of Pakistan is about79.6 million hectares and total forested area area is 4.224 millions hectars which is 4.8 % of the total land. Forest are largely concentrated in the north west frontier province(NWFP), approx 40% of the total forested area. The rest is shared more or less equally by other provinces. Balochistan 14 %, Punjab 14.4 %, Sindh 9.4 %, Northen Area 15.7 % , AJK 6.5 %. This estimate is taken from the Foresty sector master plan (FSMP).

WHY THIS IS PROBLEM:
Lake of administration, lake of political will on the part of state actores, lake of a sense of ownership of forest by the local communities and the presence of powerful timber smugglers and illegal logging.

how externalities are responsible for markeet failure? and why?

can any one explain over it and the terms marginal external benefit curve and marginal external cost curve....

Why we say that the product of policy analysis is advice?

What is mean by social value in the policy analysis?

The goals which are define in the weimer & vinig in the 1st chapter for the evaluation of alternatives. Are these Goals can apply on any alternative?