Nordic Superintendents: Agents in a Broken Chain

by Lejf Moos (Editor), Elisabet Nihlfors (Editor), Jan Merok Paulsen (Editor)

Overview

This book analyses the superintendent position and relations and shows how the well-known policy umbrella, the New Public Management (NPM), is being adapted to national contexts. School superintendents are civil servants at the heart of the governance of municipal education. Educational governance in the Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden - is currently undergoing comprehensive restructuring and reconceptualisation at the hands of national governments influenced by transnational agencies. Our analyses of the superintendent position and relations show that the well-known policy umbrella, the New Public Management (NPM), is moving towards focusing on soft governance and social technologies as the preferred means of influences. Thus we rename it New Public Governance (NPG).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319797359
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	03/27/2019
Series:	Educational Governance Research , #2
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2016
Pages:	334
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

1. Directions for our investigation of the chain of governance and the agents; Lejf Moos, Elisabet Nihlfors, Jan Merok Paulsen.- Part I: Country reports.- 2. Danish superintendents are players in multiple networks; Lejf Moos, Klaus Kasper Kofod, Ulf Brinkkjær.- 3. Finnish superintendents are striving with the the changing operational environment; Mika Risku, Pekka Kanervio, Seppo Pulkkinen.- 4. Norwegian superintendents are mediators in the governance chain; Jan Merok Paulsen, Hans Christian Høyer.- 5. Superintendents in Sweden – structures, culture relations and leadership; Olof Johansson, Elisabet Nihlfors, Linda Jervik Steen, Sara Karlsson.- Part II: Thematic Chapters.- 6. Democracy in complex networks - political leaders and administrative professionals; Lejf Moos, Olof Johansson, Jan Merok Paulsen, Mona Strand, Mika Risku.- 7. Superintendent Leadership in hierarchy and network; Jan Merok Paulsen, Elisabet Nihlfors, Ulf Brinkkjær, Mika Risku.- 8. Political cultures; Klaus Kasper Kofod, Olof Johansson, Jan Merok Paulsen, Mika Risku.- 9. Competence and understanding in the governing chain; Elisabet Nihlfors, Hans Christian Høyer, Klaus Kasper Kofod, Mika Risku.- 10. Governmentality through translation and sense-making; Lejf Moos, Jan Merok Paulsen, Olof Johansson, Mika Risku.- 11. Tendencies and trends; Lejf Moos, Elisabet Nihlfors, Jan Merok Paulsen.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“The education systems of the Nordic countries – with their traditional commitment to Bildung, their conscious preparation of students for life in a democracy and their constant strivings for equality - have much to teach the rest of the world. Superintendents have been key players in fashioning these attributes.” (Peter Mortimore, Professor Emeritus, Richmond, England)

“One of many important conclusions of the book concerns the emptying of local democratic governing and influ­ence that has taken place in most of the studied countries (Finland being the notable excep­tion) when the local political level is bypassed in various ways ... .” (Lisbeth Lundahl, Professor, Umeå University, Sweden)

“Critical skills needed at the level of policymaking and its effects on implementation don’t lie in “knowing the right answers, but asking the right questions”. The right questions give rise to salient and insightful answers.” (Catherine Odora Hoppers, South African Research Chair in Development Education, University of South Africa)

“The authors of this compelling volume have lived the history of change and the tightening grip of a performativity culture. Historically, a signal strength of Nordic schools has been lateral support and collegiality.” (John MacBeath, Professor Emeritus, Cambridge, England)