Tales from the interface: Disseminating ethnography for policy making

Abstract

About the book: This book emphasises the central place that ethnographic work should have in the formulation and evaluation of education policy. Ethnographic studies contribute to a greater understanding of the process formulation, evaluation and critique. First, careful studies of policy initiatives at the local level can show the extent to which change actually occurs in practice. Second, ethnographic studies can investigate the unintended consequences as well as those planned by the policy. Third, ethnography can investigate the effects of policies in such a way that contradictions within the original policy itself are illuminated. As well as studying the effects and impact of policy, ethnography can also be useful in the formulation of new policies. The various chapters gathered together here give many examples of the ways that ethnography can trace the effects of particular policy developments and may be able to influence future policy debates. The contributors and case studies relate to several countries including the United States, Italy, England, France, Sweden and Switzerland, showing not only that ethnographic research in education is now widespread, but also increasing relevance to policy. Contents: Preface (G. Walford). Introduction: ethnography and policy (G. Walford). Literacy policy and literacy in the classroom: what ethnography teaches us (M. de Acosta, D. Volk). Educational ethnography and multicultural education: a study of classroom talk-in-interaction as an identity-making discursive activity (L. Caronia). The negotiation of difference: the meanings of success in ethnically diverse classrooms (J. Conteh). Policy versus practice: the hidden curriculum of racism in an ESOL context (L.D. Greathouse). Swedish language courses for immigrants - integration or discrimination? (M. Carlson). Researching the impact of new public management approaches to policy on primary school teachers' work (F. Vogt). Pupils at transition. The impact of institution and peer-group pressures on pupils' negotiation of change: a UK case study (S.H. Hillyard). Is goodwill enough? Comments on the French experience of the technology section (A.X. de Brito). Alienation, reproduction and fetish in Swedish education (D. Beach). The dialectic of intent and actuality: a clash of values (J. Badger). Tales from the interface: disseminating ethnography for policy making (G. Troman). Notes on contributors.