Policy Learning in the Context of Wicked Policy Issues: A Case Study of Civic Integration Policy in Rotterdam

In a case study of the Veranderopgave Inburgering at the municipality of Rotterdam, this thesis explores the influence of wickedness on policy learning at meso-level public organisations. Special attention is paid to the particular and politicized character of integration governance. Learning from fellow municipalities as well as learning from internal resources were identified as the most common forms of learning. Despite the fact that earlier integration systems, primarily the Deltaplan Inburgering, appeared as a valuable source of learning from experience, this thesis found that cross-departmental learning was perceived as a more common form of learning. Wickedness-related characteristics such as non-repeatability and non-computability are helpful in explaining these patterns. Furthermore, the wickedness characteristic of social fragmentation appeared useful in illustrating the impact of internal as well as external fragmentation of integration governance on the processes of policy learning. However, the most important influence on learning appeared to be political influence by way of determining the organisational and financial capacity, and in turn, the very ability of the municipality to function as a learning organisation. Moreover, political influence determined the receptiveness of the municipality towards knowledge and information. Thus, although political influence is generally recognized as an influence on learning in public organisations, it is helpful to pay attention to the combined insights of wickedness theory and scholarship on integration governance to develop a better understanding of policy learning in the Veranderopgave Inburgering and similar assignments in the future. This should contribute to the ability of the municipality, as an important actor in integration governance, to function as a learning organisation.