Policy transfer and policy translation : day care for people with dementia in Kerala, India

Abstract

This thesis explores and explains the development of day care for people with dementia in Kerala, India. The development process is framed within the context of social globalisation. The central aim of the thesis is to further build theory on how and why social policy from one context is transferred and utilised in the development of social policy in another. The theoretical constructs of policy transfer and policy translation are used to explore the development process. Policy transfer is an existing concept within policy and politics literature. Theory on the concept of policy translation is built up within the thesis using theories of literary translation. Exploration of these processes provides an explanation of the development of day care. Policy transfer and policy translation are found to take place between the UK and Kerala. Policy ideas and information from the UK are transferred and then used within the implementation of day care in Kerala. A two-part research design explores firstly policy transfer and then policy translation. Policy transfer is examined within an analytical framework developed from existing models of policy transfer. Policy translation is investigated through a comparative analysis of day care for people with dementia between the UK and Kerala. The differences between day care in the two contexts represent the changes caused by the processes of policy transfer and policy translation. The main findings of the thesis are that policy transfer and policy translation have taken place within the development of day care in Kerala. The two concepts are found to complement each other. The theoretical construct of policy translation provides additional detail and clarity on the process of policy development to that provided by policy transfer. Policy transfer and policy translation can be described as mechanisms by which social globalisation is taking place and in turn globalisation promotes these processes. The thesis concludes that the theoretical constructs of policy transfer and policy translation as developed here could be used within other research to explore the processes of globalisation.