The Pluralisation and Generalisation of Interests: Civil Associations in the Norwegian Drug- and Alcohol Policy Process

Over the past four decades, Norwegian society has become more pluralistic while the traditionally important corporatist channel has lost importance as a venue for civil associations to exert policy influence. Consequently, civil associations increasingly need to build coalitions and solicit public support in order to influence policy processes. This article is based on content analyses of civil associations’ submissions in ministerial consultations and investigates to what extent these systemic changes have made civil society actors change how they frame their policy positions. Previous scholars have argued that framing is primarily a reflection of an interest group’s type and constituency, but we argue to the contrary that in a more pluralistic and less corporatist society civil associations’ need to frame their policy positions as aligned with the public interest takes precedence over promoting their immediate constituencies’ narrow interests.