Policy reformers often make bold promises to improve government responsiveness to citizen demands. Such proclamations often fall short, get diverted, or are blocked. But not always.
This recent research analyzed rare moments when government reformers took actions that tangibly enabled citizen action. We call these “sandwich strategies,” or reform initiatives which deliver tangible openings for citizen action that empower otherwise excluded or marginalized groups. These are interactive processes in which reformers in government lead openings that encourage citizen action—sometimes in response to voices calling for change, but also at their own initiative.
