Le politiche oltre le politiche. Introduzione alla Historical Materialist Policy Analysis

This essay introduces and explores the Historical Materialist Policy Analysis (HMPA), one of the most prominent critical approaches to public policy analysis that have emerged in the past decade. Predominantly applied within the context of critical European integration studies, the HMPA seeks to offer a more systematic and rigorous examination of public policies and policy cycles within their historical and social contexts. In contrast to conventional approaches to public policy analysis, HMPA foregrounds capitalism as a complex and transnational system, highlighting the dialectical relationship between the State and society. Conjointly, it analyses the role of political, institutional, and social actors within a structurally contradictory environment marked by complexity and structural constraints. In greater detail, the essay contains an introductory section on the recent evolution of the HMPA, followed by a reflection on its theoretical foundations. The central section delves into the key concepts of this approach, divided into two subsections: the first focuses on the critical issue of hegemony, while the second clarifies the distinction between hegemonic projects, hegemony projects, and political projects. Sections 4 and 5, respectively, provide a guide for the operationalisation of HMPA in empirical analysis, as well as examples of research conducted through this framework. In conclusion, HMPA distinguishes itself through its capacity to transcend traditional functionalist and technocratic perspectives, instead emphasising the role of policies as fundamental tools in the reproduction and management of social and political relations. Its primary objective is to move beyond a depoliticised analysis of public policies, revealing their inherently political nature within the context of advanced capitalism