Final answer:
Agenda setting is the first stage of the public policy process, encompassing problem identification and alternative specification. This stage is crucial for framing issues compellingly and proposing viable solutions before taking them to decision-makers. It also relates to conflict resolution and productive dialogue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The agenda setting stage of the public policy process is marked by what Gottman calls agenda building. This crucial first stage involves two subphases: problem identification and alternative specification. Problem identification aims at recognizing issues that demand discussion. However, only certain issues make it onto the governmental agenda, necessitating policy advocates to frame issues in compelling ways, such as framing health care reform in terms of access and the number of uninsured individuals. The alternative specification subphase seeks solutions, such as childhood obesity interventions ranging from education to nutrition regulation. Agenda setting culminates when a problem is paired with a solution, which is then presented to decision-makers for approval.
In relation to conflict, agenda setting is instrumental as it underlies productive and bridge-building conversations that can heal wounds and foster better understanding. Handling these conversations with tact - choosing words and questions carefully - transforms emotional situations into learning opportunities. These concepts also resonate with narrative structure, where conflict is built and resolved in a plot diagram, an idea applicable in both fictive storytelling and real-life conflict resolution.