Removing Political Barriers to Engagement: The Advisory Roles of Political Scientists in Albania

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter analyzes Albania’s policy advisory system focusing on the advisory roles of political scientists. Albania’s political science discipline is relatively new, as it has mainly developed since the turn of the century. After exploring how the policy development process happens and how different factors may hinder the demand for Albania’s policy advice, this chapter considers political scientists’ role within the national context. Political barriers limit the role of political scientists in the policy process. In general, Albanian political scientists do engage in policy advice, but not in a structured and well-organized way. Mostly it is informal and based on a network of connections. Also, in the Albanian system, they have little incentives for such engagement external to their university work. Political scientists engage in policy advice more with societal actors than directly with legislative or executive institutions and officials. Future research may include the demand side of policy advice to understand the role of political scientists better and provide clues for their future engagement.