The central message of this book is that the linkages between knowledge, policy and power are not linear and cannot be understood by using a simple standardised template approach. At the same time, these linkages are not so complex and impenetrable as to render action or analysis impossible. While there is a growing body of literature on the interface between knowledge and policy, this book is the first to draw together the learning and to develop practical recommendations that can be used by academics, policymakers, development practitioners, knowledge intermediaries and donors alike. We show that there are four key dimensions needing attention: the political economy of the knowledge–policy interface, the actors who engage at it, the types of knowledge used and the role of knowledge intermediaries. Each can be analysed rigorously using the simple frameworks we present, which – crucially – offer readers a way of ensuring that power dynamics are taken into account. This is not without its challenges, however, and the book also gives concrete examples of where a greater understanding of power relations can improve the interface between knowledge and policy.

For researchers and students of international development, our synthesis of the literature and the practical messages in the book provide many ideas for further analysis, as well as suggestions about how to better reach decision-making communities (see also Box 6.1). For donors, our analysis shows that a focus on research uptake alone is too narrow: there are three types of knowledge used in policy, each with its own political economy and set of actors. This means thinking more creatively about how and where to engage in generating and using knowledge, fostering local learning and a more networked approach to policymaking processes. For practitioners and policymakers, this book demonstrates that it is possible to take a systematic approach to thinking about work at the knowledge–policy interface that will help target cost-effective action. For the many individuals and organisations that call themselves knowledge intermediaries, we argue that they need to think further than just communicating information to a target audience; instead, they need to consider how they can best contribute to social learning and building adaptive capacity. .