Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns

Recent years have seen an increase of critical perspectives on government transparency. Some consider its conceptualization too simplistic leading to over-enthusiastic promises. Other, more empirical studies show that transparency can create costs or adverse effects. This qualitative meta-analysis o...

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Main Authors: Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, Marlen Heide, Giulia Mugellini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251352638
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author Jean-Patrick Villeneuve
Marlen Heide
Giulia Mugellini
author_facet Jean-Patrick Villeneuve
Marlen Heide
Giulia Mugellini
author_sort Jean-Patrick Villeneuve
collection DOAJ
description Recent years have seen an increase of critical perspectives on government transparency. Some consider its conceptualization too simplistic leading to over-enthusiastic promises. Other, more empirical studies show that transparency can create costs or adverse effects. This qualitative meta-analysis of scholarship reviews transparency research from 1996 onwards to map the pitfalls, shortcomings and negative dynamics of transparency policies. The analysis draws on policy studies, notably literature on policy failure. While systematizing the insights generated so far, the analysis also provides an overview of blind spots and shortcomings in transparency scholarship regarding the effects and outcomes of transparency policies.
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spelling doaj-art-d412d9534acc4f2eb995b60bc6b98d3d2025-08-20T03:13:45ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402025-07-011510.1177/21582440251352638Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes SunburnsJean-Patrick Villeneuve0Marlen Heide1Giulia Mugellini2 Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, SwitzerlandRecent years have seen an increase of critical perspectives on government transparency. Some consider its conceptualization too simplistic leading to over-enthusiastic promises. Other, more empirical studies show that transparency can create costs or adverse effects. This qualitative meta-analysis of scholarship reviews transparency research from 1996 onwards to map the pitfalls, shortcomings and negative dynamics of transparency policies. The analysis draws on policy studies, notably literature on policy failure. While systematizing the insights generated so far, the analysis also provides an overview of blind spots and shortcomings in transparency scholarship regarding the effects and outcomes of transparency policies.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251352638
spellingShingle Jean-Patrick Villeneuve
Marlen Heide
Giulia Mugellini
Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
SAGE Open
title Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
title_full Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
title_fullStr Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
title_full_unstemmed Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
title_short Understanding Transparency Failures: When Sunshine Causes Sunburns
title_sort understanding transparency failures when sunshine causes sunburns
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251352638
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