"Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups, pressure groups, or public associations use various forms of advocacy and/or lobbying in order to influence public opinion and ultimately public policy."
This topic covers the strategies and tactics used by advocates to influence public policy, including lobbying, grassroots organizing, and media campaigns.
Public policy: The study of policies created by governments to address societal challenges or meet societal goals.
Policy advocacy: The process or strategies used to influence policymakers and public opinion on a particular issue or policy.
Policy analysis: The examination of policies to assess their effectiveness, impact, and implementation.
Stakeholder analysis: The identification and analysis of key actors or groups that have an interest in a policy issue.
Communication strategy: The development and implementation of a plan to effectively communicate key messages to target audiences.
Message development: The creation of persuasive messages that resonate with target audiences.
Media relations: The management of relationships with journalists and media outlets to generate positive coverage of policy issues.
Social media strategy: The development of a plan to leverage social media platforms to engage with target audiences and generate support for policy advocacy efforts.
Campaign planning and implementation: The development and execution of a strategic plan to achieve policy advocacy goals.
Grassroots mobilization: The activation of a grassroots movement to support a policy issue.
Lobbying: The direct advocacy of policymakers through communication and other means.
Coalition building: The formation of strategic partnerships with stakeholders to advance shared policy goals.
Political marketing: The use of marketing tactics to advance policy advocacy efforts.
Ethics and values in policy advocacy: The ethical considerations and values that influence policy advocacy efforts.
Grassroots Advocacy: This type of advocacy involves the use of public mobilization and community organization to influence policy change. There is usually minimal direct contact with policymakers.
Media Advocacy: This type of advocacy involves leveraging the press and media outlets to raise awareness, change public perceptions or taste, and influence policymakers.
Legislative Advocacy: This type of advocacy aims at influencing a legislative body to introduce or pass a particular bill, law, or policy. Legislative advocacy includes lobbying, which can involve direct interaction with policymakers, such as meetings, exchanging emails or letters, phone calls or social media platforms.
Policy Analysis and Research: Involves providing data and analyzing policy options to help policymakers make informed decisions. Research in policy advocacy involves gathering data on social, health, economic, and other issues relevant to policy change.
Legal Advocacy: Focuses on the use of law as a tool for change, such as filing lawsuits, amicus briefs, and challenging policy decisions through judicial channels.
International Advocacy: Involves advocacy amongst international organizations, governments, and international development agencies to influence policy adoption and implementation at the national or local level.
Stakeholder Advocacy: Focuses on building coalitions of stakeholders, including groups such as businesses, civic groups, labor unions, and faith-based organizations to advocate for policy change.
Community-Based Participatory Advocacy: This type of advocacy involves engaging communities that are directly impacted by policy decisions, empowering them to voice their concerns and enabling them to participate in decision-making processes.
"Motives for action may be based on political, economic, religious, moral, commercial or common good-based positions."
"Groups use varied methods to try to achieve their aims, including lobbying, media campaigns, awareness raising publicity stunts, polls, research, and policy briefings."
"Some groups are supported or backed by powerful business or political interests and exert considerable influence on the political process, while others have few or no such resources."
"Some have developed into important social, political institutions or social movements."
"Some powerful advocacy groups have been accused of manipulating the democratic system for narrow commercial gain and in some instances have been found guilty of corruption, fraud, bribery, influence peddling and other serious crimes."
"Some groups, generally ones with fewer financial resources, may use direct action and civil disobedience and in some cases are accused of being a threat to the social order or 'domestic extremists'."
"Research is beginning to explore how advocacy groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action."
"Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups, pressure groups, or public associations..."
"They play an important role in the development of political and social systems."
"Groups use varied methods to try to achieve their aims, including lobbying, media campaigns, awareness raising publicity stunts, polls, research, and policy briefings."
"Others have few or no such resources."
"[They] influence public opinion and ultimately public policy."
"Some have developed into important social, political institutions or social movements."
"Motives for action may be based on political, economic, religious, moral, commercial or common good-based positions."
"Some groups are supported or backed by powerful business or political interests and exert considerable influence on the political process, while others have few or no such resources."
"Some powerful advocacy groups have been found guilty of corruption, fraud, bribery, influence peddling and other serious crimes."
"Some powerful advocacy groups have been accused of manipulating the democratic system for narrow commercial gain..."
"Some groups... may use direct action and civil disobedience."
"Research is beginning to explore how advocacy groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action."