Researching education policy, public policy, and policymakers : qualitative methods and ethical issues /
Dan Gibton.
- 1 online resource.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Cover; Half Title; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; List of figures; List of tables; Acknowledgments; Part I Policy studies and qualitative research; 1 Introduction: studying senior policymakers and policy in education via qualitative research methods; 2 The case for qualitative research in education policy: rationale and examples; 3 Designing and planning the qualitative policy study; Part II Methodology and study design; 4 Document analysis as a policy research tool; 5 Open-closed-open: the promises and perils of interviews with policymakers. 6 Observing policy: the art of policy watching7 Mapping qualitative policy analysis methods: toolbox, totem, or taboo; 8 Writing a policy report -- crafting a policy story: how to turn private knowledge into public knowledge; Part III Ethics in qualitative policy studies; 9 An ethical paradigm for studying education policy and people of status and power: mapping the terrain; 10 Building trust, abusing trust? The art of confidentiality, intellectual validity, and informed consent; Coda; References; Index.
Researching Education Policy, Public Policy, and Policymakers is a theoretical and hands-on practical guide to conducting qualitative research on education policy and public policy, with an emphasis on studies that involve senior participants and high-status government and non-government organisations. Building on over a decade of extensive experience in qualitative research on education policy among the most senior policymakers, this book explores and illustrates successful approaches to working with senior policymakers through examples from both the UK and Israel. Whilst policy studies are traditionally either theoretical or quantitative, this book explains the theory, methodology, and ethics of harnessing qualitative methods to the study of senior policymakers and their settings. Key topics include: Designing and planning the qualitative policy study Document analysis as a policy research tool Interviewing policymakers and observing policy Mapping qualitative policy analysis methods Writing policy reports Ethics and trust This practical guide, built upon a sound theoretical framework, will prove both inspirational and helpful to academic and professional researchers across all disciplines involving public policy.