Exploring the Political Character of Decision-Making: the BJPIR and the Politics of (De)politicisation

In this short contribution to this special issue, we attempt three main things. Firstly, to highlight the pivotal role that the BJPIR has played in helping to initiate and develop a myriad of attempts to understand processes of (de)politicisation. Secondly, to provide a very brief and admittedly selective overview of some of the broader developments in these debates. Thirdly, to pay a brief tribute to the seminal contribution and wider legacy that Pete Burnham’s work has made to our understanding of depoliticisation and its wider role in the state’s attempts to manage its credibility and legitimacy and avoid crises.