"David Walker's analysis is incisive and hard hitting. Anyone who believes in the power of social science to inform better policy making should take his criticisms seriously." - Sue Duncan, Former Chief Government Social Researcher and Head of the Government Social Research Service "David Walker has written an unofficial summary of ESRC's achievements and struggles. He brings to the task long experience of the organisation and of the key players, a great familiarity with the literature and a sceptical nature. The result is stimulating, instructive, contentious and sometimes even infuriating." - David Rhind, Chair of the Nuffield Foundation What is the role of the state in distributing research money? How do 'arm's-length' funding agencies relate to public policy and business? This original study looks at the main social science funding agency in the UK, which was established 50 years ago. It examines how funding decisions are related to power. The 'critical' and 'policy' aspects of successful research bids are discussed. Walker asks the tricky question, why has social science research not achieved a more salient role in state policy formation and management strategy: is the funding agency responsible? Insightful, engrossing and highly original, the book will be required reading for anyone who has written or will write a Social Science research bid and, more widely, for students of power, knowledge and culture.
`A highly recommendable and powerful work...I have found this book to be both a revelatory mirror on past events and an inviting window to future prospects. I am certain that it will be of equal or greater value to all those involved and interested in the tangled complexities, and inherent rewards, of educational leadership, particularly within international or cross-cultural contexts' - Daniel H. Jarvis, International Review of Education `Clive Dimmock and Allan Walker's books is a valuable addition to the overcrowded literature on leadership. This is a useful and important book because citizenship, globalization and the tensions with nationality should be the concern of all who lead any school; even monofaith, monoethic and monolingual schools' - Tim Brighouse, TES Friday 'The authors offer a rigorous and systematic analysis based on careful definition, illustration and discussion which demonstrates the importance of understanding culture, leadership and their interaction in different contexts: in doing so they provide a powerful antidote to the simplistic export of ideas and lay foundations for a more sophisticated conceptual framework for the study of educational leadership' - John West-Burnham, International Leadership Centre, University of Hull This key text in educational leadership focuses on the significance of the context and culture of schools. The book addresses the growing recognition of cultural differences between societies and the resultant differences in schooling. It also deals with vital issues relating to multicultural education and the leadership of multicultural schools. Drawing on their first-hand experience, the authors explore the differences evident in classroom teaching and learning, as well as organizational, leadership and management aspects of schools. They show how such differences can make over-reliance on Anglo-American approaches misleading, ineffective and restrictive. Key features of the book include: - a methodology to support the emerging field of international and comparative educational leadership and management - in-depth comparative analysis of Anglo-American and Asian schooling and educational management - the leadership of multi-cultural schools This book is essential reading for professionals and students of educational leadership and management, as well as administrators.
`A highly recommendable and powerful work...I have found this book to be both a revelatory mirror on past events and an inviting window to future prospects. I am certain that it will be of equal or greater value to all those involved and interested in the tangled complexities, and inherent rewards, of educational leadership, particularly within international or cross-cultural contexts' - Daniel H. Jarvis, International Review of Education `Clive Dimmock and Allan Walker's books is a valuable addition to the overcrowded literature on leadership. This is a useful and important book because citizenship, globalization and the tensions with nationality should be the concern of all who lead any school; even monofaith, monoethic and monolingual schools' - Tim Brighouse, TES Friday 'The authors offer a rigorous and systematic analysis based on careful definition, illustration and discussion which demonstrates the importance of understanding culture, leadership and their interaction in different contexts: in doing so they provide a powerful antidote to the simplistic export of ideas and lay foundations for a more sophisticated conceptual framework for the study of educational leadership' - John West-Burnham, International Leadership Centre, University of Hull This key text in educational leadership focuses on the significance of the context and culture of schools. The book addresses the growing recognition of cultural differences between societies and the resultant differences in schooling. It also deals with vital issues relating to multicultural education and the leadership of multicultural schools. Drawing on their first-hand experience, the authors explore the differences evident in classroom teaching and learning, as well as organizational, leadership and management aspects of schools. They show how such differences can make over-reliance on Anglo-American approaches misleading, ineffective and restrictive. Key features of the book include: - a methodology to support the emerging field of international and comparative educational leadership and management - in-depth comparative analysis of Anglo-American and Asian schooling and educational management - the leadership of multi-cultural schools This book is essential reading for professionals and students of educational leadership and management, as well as administrators.
