Understading the agenda setting process and John Kingdon’s multiple streams model

Abstract

The discussion on how certain issues emerge as public problems and enter the government agenda is crucial to understand public policies and a country’s political life. Aiming to build a model to capture the agenda setting process, Kingdon came up with the Multiple Fluxes Model. This research sought to understand the agenda-setting process, while highlighting its importance in the political environment. It was found that through the Multiple Streams Model it is possible to draw the outlines of the agenda setting process, making it possible to identify its decisional phases and the agents that are involved in it. Furthermore, the model helps one to understand the role of ideas in such process, providing a less functionalist and technical approach of a process full of complexities and contingencies.