Evidence and Expertise in Nordic Education Policy: A Comparative Network Analysis

by Berit Karseth (Editor), Kirsten Sivesind (Editor), Gita Steiner-Khamsi (Editor)

Overview

This open access book explores how policy makers draw on national, regional and international expertise in issuing school reform within five Nordic countries. In an era of international comparison, policy makers are expected to review best practices, learn from experiences from elsewhere, and apply international standards propelled by international organizations. Do they do so? What counts, for them, as evidence and expertise? The chapters draw methodologically on bibliometric data, network analysis, document analysis and expert interviews. They show compellingly how governments use “evidence” strategically and selectively for agenda setting and policy decisions. This book will be of interest and value to scholars of education policy, specifically within the Nordic region, and international and comparative education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030919610
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	04/01/2022
Edition description:	1st ed. 2022
Pages:	429
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Berit Karseth is Professor in the Department of Education at University of Oslo, Norway. Her main research interests and publications lie in the fields of education policy, reforms, and curriculum studies.

Kirsten Sivesind is Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Oslo, Norway. Beyond her academic discipline of curriculum theory, her research focuses on comparative policy analysis and the history of educational ideas and reform.

Gita Steiner-Khamsi is Professor of Comparative and International Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, USA. Her research interests focus on policy borrowing, comparative policy studies, public-private partnerships in education, and comparative methodology.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Comparative Network Analysis of Knowledge Use in Nordic Education Policies.- What is in a Reference? Theoretically Understanding the Uses of Evidence in Education Policy.- Exploring the Architecture of Policy Knowledge: A Methodological Note.- Policy Borrowing and Evidence in Danish Education Policy Preparation. The Case of the Danish Public School Reform of 2013.- Evidence and Expert Power in Finnish Education Policy Making: The 2010‒2016 National Core Curriculum Reform.- The Irregular Formation of State Policy Documents in the Icelandic Field of Education 2013‒2017.- Structuring School Reform Policy With Evidence: The Inter-Mediational Role of Knowledge Sources and Arguments.- The Complexity of Context in Legitimating National School Reforms: The Case of Sweden.-

1. Evidence-based Policymaking in Nordic Countries: Different Settings, Different Practices?.- How Much is Policy Advice Changed and Lost in Political Translation?.- The OECD and the Field of Knowledge Brokers in Danish, Finnish, and Icelandic Education Policy.- Regional Policy Spaces, Knowledge Networks and the “Nordic Other”.- On Evidence, Impact, and Layers in Education Policy Processes.- Evidence-Based Policy Making and Educational Reform in Nordic Europe: Main contributions of the POLNET Study.- Conclusion: Toward a Renewed Understanding of Evidence-Based Policy in Education.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This is a highly important book on a topic of remarkable and growing significance. It brings together the work of a dynamic research team, whose writing and influence in the analysis of evidence-based policy in education cannot be over-stated. Well-theorised and featuring a plethora of empirical analyses from a range of Nordic policy actors and contexts, this book is thoroughly recommended for students and scholars interested in the field of education policy and governance in Europe and globally.” (Sotiria Grek, Professor in European and Global Education Governance)

“Evidence and Expertise in Nordic Education Policies: A Comparative Network Analysis from the Nordic Region is an important book that uses a rich combination of bibliographic network analysis, interviews and document analysis to describe how policies are developed and legitimised in five Nordic nations. Besides the fascinating empirical insights, the methodological approach is a significant contribution that will inspire application in a range of policy studies internationally. Highly recommended!” (Radhika Gorur, Associate Professor, Deakin University, Australia)

“This book sheds rigorous and in-depth light on the sources of knowledge mobilised in the development of educational policies in five Nordic countries. The book impresses with its solid theoretical grounding and an innovative empirical method: quantitative network analyses of national policy document 'references'. The POLNET research is inspiring because it takes a new look at the contemporary challenges of globalisation and the pluralisation of expertise.” (Christian Maroy, Professor, University of Louvain and Montreal)