Complex Policy Design: Current Innovations in Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application

Call for Papers

Complex Policy Design: Current Innovations in Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application

Journal: Policy Design and Practice
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Manuscript Submission Deadline: 01 October 2026

Policy Design and Practice invites submissions for its Special Issue titled Complex Policy Design: Current Innovations in Conceptualization, Measurement, and Application.

About the Special Issue

The design of public policies significantly influences how they are interpreted, implemented, and ultimately how effective they become. Despite its importance, complexity in policy design—including policy provisions, institutional arrangements, oversight mechanisms, rule detail, and actor involvement—remains an underexplored area of policy research.

This Special Issue seeks theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions that advance understanding of complex policy design. It encourages research that develops new conceptual frameworks, innovative measurement approaches, and practical applications to better understand how policy complexity shapes governance, implementation, and policy outcomes across diverse contexts.

Scope and Topics of Interest

Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• Theoretical conceptualizations of complexity in policy design

• Practical implications of complex policy design

• Frameworks explaining the causes and consequences of policy complexity

• Methods for measuring and analysing policy complexity

• Computational approaches and digital policy text analysis

• Institutional arrangements, delegation, and oversight mechanisms

• Polycentric governance and actor involvement

• Trade-offs between simple and complex policy design

• Comparative studies of policy complexity across sectors and countries

• Policy domains where complexity is especially significant

• Innovations in policy theory, methods, and practice

Submission Guidelines

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 01 June 2026

• Manuscript Submission Deadline: 01 October 2026

• Submit an abstract of up to 500 words outlining the research questions and contribution to policy theory, methods, and practice.

• Abstracts should be emailed to the Guest Editor with the subject line "Proposal for Special Issue on Complex Policy Design."

• Full manuscripts should be submitted through the Policy Design and Practice online submission system.

• This Special Issue will be published as Open Access.

Special Issue Editors

• Saba Siddiki — Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

• Matia Vannoni — Department of Political Economy, King's College London

• Chris Koski — Political Science Department, Reed College

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