earticle

영어

This study aims to analyze the legislative process in terms of policy demand. It is the theoretical starting point of this research that the legislative process reflects the socially constructed perception of policy target groups, and the difference in social perceptions affects legislative outcomes. This study focuses on the contents of the legislation and analyzed how the socially perceived characteristics of a policy target groups are related to the legislative process. The research questions of this study are as follows. First, how does the social construction of target populations, in particular the image of a particular group and the social perception of its political power, relate to the legislative process? Second, is it likely for a particular group to be losers, while others are likely to be beneficiaries? In order to find the answer to the research questions, this study has established and tested several hypotheses based on theories of 'social construction’. Based on the socially constructed perception of a target population, this study typified the policy target group and analyzed the contents of various bills and the legislative process. The cases studied in this study are the bills initiated by the 19th National Assembly. This research tries to grasp the socially constructed image of the target group and the social perception of the degree of political power by conducting the questionnaire survey and content analysis of the newspaper articles. The findings of the study are as follows. First, in the case of a group with negative images, it is found that regardless of the level of political power, the bill had the content imposing costs on the group or regulate it. On the other hand, if a certain target population has a positive image and are perceived as the powerless, a legislation that would benefit it initiated by the National Assembly. However, in the case of a group with a perceived positive image but high level of political power, a bill to impose burden on the group was initiated. In this case, it is revealed that public opinion had a stronger influence on the legislative process than social construction of the group. The study sought to understand the legislative process from the demand side of the policy by focusing on the policy target groups that are actually affected by the policy. It is important to examine the relationship between the social construction of target population and legislation in terms of the fact that the policy that the law covers is the actual issue of who gets what or gets burdened. This study is particularly meaningful in that it requires access from the demand side in order to improve the quality of legislation in the deepening stages of democracy.

한국어

본 연구는 법안이 대상으로 삼고 있는 집단의 사회적 인식을 알아보고, 이러한 인식의 차이에 따라 특정 집단은 규제의 대상이 쉬운 반면, 또 다른 집단은 혜택을 제공받는 대상이 쉬운지 알아보고자 한다. 정책대상집단을 유형화하기 위해 슈나이더와 잉그램(Schneider and Ingram)의 사회적형성이론에 따라 4가지 집단으로 분류하여 분석하였다. 연구방법은 각 정책대상집단 유형의 특성에 가장 부합되는 법안을 선정한 비교사례연구이며, 정책대상집단 유형을 분류하기 위해 여론주도층 설문조사와 신문기사분석을 실시하였다. 연구 결과 부정적인 이미지를 가지고 있는 집단의 경우, 정치적 권력의 정도와 관계없이 그 집단에게는 비용을 부과하거나 제재를 가하는 법안이 발의되는 경향을 확인했다. 반면 긍정적인 이미지를 지니며 정치적 권력이 약한 집단으로 인식되는 경우, 그들에게 혜택을 부여하는 법안이 발의되었다. 그러나 긍정적 이미지를 가지지만 정치적 권력의 정도가 강한 집단의 경우, 비용을 부과하는 법안이 발의되었다. 이는 여론이 사회적 인식보다 더 강한 영향력을 행사했음을 보여주는 사례였다. 본 연구는 기존의 입법과정에 대한 연구들이 의원의 속성 및 제도 등 공급측면 중심이었던 것과 달리 정책으로 인해 실제 영향을 받게 되는 정책대상집단을 중심으로 살펴봄으로써 수요자 측면에서 입법과정을 이해하고자 했다는 점에서 그 의의가 있다.