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Following the Science: Politicians and Experts

Following the Science: Politicians and Experts
The logo of the World Health Organization (WHO) is pictured on the facade of the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 24, 2017. Fabrice Coffrini/ Getty Images
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Commentary

Leaders rely on experts both to help them decide policy and to support them in the decisions they make. They know that in a pandemic like the present, people want politicians to set aside their political agendas and defer to experts instead. That’s why political leaders flank themselves with institutional experts in epidemiology when explaining their decisions.

Paul Adams
Paul Adams
Author
Paul Adams is a professor emeritus of social work at the University of Hawai‘i, and was professor and associate dean of academic affairs at Case Western Reserve University. He is the co-author of "Social Justice Isn’t What You Think It Is," and has written extensively on social welfare policy and professional and virtue ethics.
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