The Evidence Revolution: Why 'Take Nobody's Word for It' Really Matters

The article frames evidence-based policy as a neutral, technocratic good without engaging ideological contestation over which problems get studied or who defines 'what works.' Reason's libertarian sensibility emphasizes individual skepticism ('Take nobody's word for it') and trust in empirical methods over institutions, a centrist-right framing that depoliticizes policy evaluation.

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• This article does not address which stakeholders fund evidence-based policy initiatives or whose interests shape research agendas
• This article does not examine critiques that 'what works' metrics may reflect designer values rather than universal truths
• This article does not discuss evidence gaps in studying systemic inequality or power structures