⇒ For many years people have analysed laws, policy and political relationship between the three branches of Government

• In the 1950s the approach was heavily focused on institutionalism: and approach to studying politics that focus on the formal institutions of government
• In particular, political scientists explored behaviourism, trying to understand the motivations behind human actions in the political sphere

⇒ Whereas the definition of ‘institution’ used to encompass only the formal bodies of a State (e.g. the legislature, executive, and judiciary), it now more widely encompasses any body where individuals interact to achieve policy goals (known as neoinstitutionalism)

⇒ There are two broad types of people when making policy: official actors and unofficial actors

⇒ An official actor is someone who possesses legal authority to engage in the formulation of public policy e.g. legislature, executive and judiciary

⇒ An unofficial actor is someone who does not occupy formal public positions or political offices – this does not mean they are any less important than official actors e.g. interest groups and the media