"shuttle wonkery"

[giuly90]

Dear teachers, I found this expression in an excerpt from this article Radical Britain: The unlikely revolutionary | The Economist :

"[Steve] Hilton works closely with Oliver Letwin, a cabinet-office minister no less eager to strip power from the centre. Downing Street’s policy unit is run by James O’Shaughnessy, who came up with much of what is now the new schools policy in his previous life as a think-tanker. His colleague, Rohan Silva, is perhaps the most ardent centrifugalist of the policy advisers. In opposition Mr Hilton, Mr O’Shaughnessy and Mr Silva travelled the world (and especially America) to study decentralised government and social innovation in action (see article). The fruits of this shuttle wonkery are strewn through the coalition’s programme".

I wonder what does it mean.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Giuly

 

[BobK]

I've never met it before, but the 'shuttle' part means 'going backwards and forwards' (like the shuttle in a Loom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (first used in the context of travel to refer to a train that goes backward and forwards on a single track). The term is often used today in the expression 'shuttle diplomacy' - when an impartial 3rd party flies back and forth between warring countries.

You can guess the sense of 'shuttle wonkery' from the rest of the article.


b

 

[giuly90]

I've never met it before, but the 'shuttle' part means 'going backwards and forwards' (like the shuttle in a Loom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (first used in the context of travel to refer to a train that goes backward and forwards on a single track). The term is often used today in the expression 'shuttle diplomacy' - when an impartial 3rd party flies back and forth between warring countries.

You can guess the sense of 'shuttle wonkery' from the rest of the article.


b

Thank you Bob. Actually, I cannot well understand the sense of this expression. I am also in doubt about the meaning of "wonkery". I would be grateful if you could make it clear.

 

[SoothingDave]

Not a teacher.

A "wonk" is an expert, especially about the minute details of a very limited area. You usually find it in phrases like "policy wonk," a person who studies political policies and writes papers, etc. suggesting ideas and arguments for politicians.

"Wonkery" would then be the noun used to describe what a wonk does.

And the "shuttle wonkery" would derive from this person meeting and discussing ideas with people from various countries.