Agenda Setting

The Most Powerful Decision: What to Decide About

Before a government can solve a problem, it must first decide that the problem exists and deserves attention. This process — agenda setting — is arguably the most consequential stage of the policy cycle because it determines which issues are even considered. As political scientists Peter Bachrach and Morton Baratz observed, the ability to keep issues off the agenda is a form of power just as significant as the ability to influence decisions on the agenda.

Thousands of social problems exist at any given time, but government attention is finite. A legislature can actively consider only a few dozen issues per session. A president or prime minister can focus on perhaps five priorities. The question of how some issues rise to the top while others languish is central to understanding policy outcomes — and to the practical work of policy advocacy.

Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework

The most influential theory of agenda setting is John Kingdon's 'multiple streams' model, developed from studying how the US federal government sets its policy agenda. Kingdon identified three independent streams:

The problem stream. Conditions become problems when they are brought to government attention through indicators (rising unemployment data), focusing events (a bridge collapse, a pandemic), or feedback from existing programs (an evaluation showing a program is failing).

The policy stream. Policy proposals float in a 'primeval soup' of ideas, developed by experts, think tanks, academics, and bureaucrats. Most ideas circulate for years before they get attention. Proposals survive in this stream if they are technically feasible, compatible with dominant values, and have anticipated budgetary constraints.

The politics stream. This includes the national mood, organized political forces, and changes in government (elections, leadership changes, shifts in partisan composition). A new president brings new priorities. A public mood shift creates demand for action.

Agenda change happens when a policy window opens — a moment when the three streams converge. A crisis (problem stream) aligns with a ready-made proposal (policy stream) and a receptive political environment (politics stream). Policy entrepreneurs — individuals who invest time and resources in pushing an issue — play a crucial role in recognizing and exploiting these windows.

Strategies for Getting on the Agenda

For policy analysts and advocates, understanding agenda setting is not just theoretical — it is a guide to action:

Use data strategically. Releasing a well-timed report with a surprising finding can create a problem stream event. The annual UNICEF report on child welfare consistently generates media coverage and political attention by packaging data into compelling rankings and comparisons.

Frame for the political moment. The same issue can be framed as an economic problem, a security problem, a health problem, or a rights problem. Climate change gained US political traction when it was reframed from an environmental issue to a national security and economic competitiveness issue.

Build coalitions in advance. When a policy window opens, having a pre-existing coalition of supporters demonstrates political feasibility. The campaign for marriage equality invested years in building support across political lines before the decisive legislative and judicial moments.

Leverage focusing events. A disaster, a scandal, or a high-profile case can catapult an issue onto the agenda overnight. The key is being prepared to connect the focusing event to your pre-existing policy proposal. After a mass shooting, gun control advocates who had policy proposals ready could immediately channel public attention into specific legislative action.