| Each stage of the policy making process has received a great deal of attention by political scientists; however, one very important aspect of this process demands further study. Does the social construction of the groups who are the primary subjects of the policy, influence the content of public policy?;The collection of data to empirically identify the social construction of the Goshutes and Envirocare began with legislative histories, public speeches, and public debate. The two local newspapers are the main sources for this information. Transcripts of the public hearings held by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, the Hazardous Waste Regulation and Tax Policy Task Force, the Utah Division of Radiation Control, and minutes of the Utah Radiation Control Board are also examined.;An examination of the evidence reveals three themes in which it can be argued that the Goshutes have been socially constructed as dependents and four themes in which it can be argued that Envirocare has been socially constructed as a contender. Using this methodology, my research, in part, helps to explain the resulting policy decisions of Utah policy makers.;According to the theoretical approach know as "policy design" the answer is "yes;" yet this claim has only limited supporting empirical evidence. The goal of my research is to investigate the theoretical claim of policy design by examining the process of social construction of two target populations for one complex public policy issue in Utah. The policy issue I examine is the storage and disposal of radioactive waste in Utah. The target populations are the Goshute Indians and Envirocare Corporation. Historical evidence indicates the proposed storage and disposal of radioactive waste on the Goshute reservation has met extreme resistance by the public and policy makers; whereas, increased storage and disposal of radioactive waste by Envirocare has met little resistance and has at times been assisted by policy makers. My research asks, does the social construction of the Goshute Indians and the social construction of Envirocare Corporation influence the decisions made by policy makers? The efficacy of policy design ultimately depends on being able to show empirically the social construction of target groups. |
