An Instruments Approach to European Governance in Education

Abstract

This chapter outlines the instruments approach to studying European governance used in this book. It draws from public administration, political science and public policy literature that (1) evaluates the effects of policy instruments, (2) appreciates the choice of policy instruments and (3) unpacks the process through which policy instrumentation occurs, and it discusses each of these research strains with the objective to pinpoint main definitions, standpoints, benefits and uses. On this ground, this chapter outlines the instruments approach employed to investigate how European governance, specifically policy coordination, facilitates domestic adaptation of Europe’s lifelong learning markets. Such approach assumes policy coordination as central for the enactment of European governance in adult education.