How to do Educational Ethnography is designed for researchers new to educational ethnography as well as those with some initial experience. It guides the reader through the processes and pitfalls of conducting ethnography in educational settings and gives guidance on how the reader can conduct high quality ethnography. Following a brief introduction to the nature and history of ethnography, the book considers questions of site selection, access and ethics in research. It then moves on to consider how observation should be conducted and recorded within ethnography and then gives guidance on the purpose of interviews and how to conduct them. The book also describes less traditional aspects of ethnography through a detailed discussion of video-enabled research, and emphasises the need for a strong theoretical backbone to any research. The analysis of data is then discussed, as are some of the debates about various forms of representation. Each chapter is illustrated with practical examples for the authors' own works. This book is written by key authors within educational ethnography, and included contributions from Dennis Beach, Sara Delamont, Martin Forsey, Judith Green, Bob Jeffrey, Mats Trondman and Geoffrey Walford. It provides an exciting and practical guide to the process of doing educational ethnography.

Fuelled by social equity concerns, there have been vigorous debates on the appropriateness of certain non-state actors, particularly those with commercial and entrepreneurial motives, to meet universal education goals. There are further questions on the relative effectiveness of government and private schooling in delivering good learning outcomes for all. Within this debate, several empirical questions abound. Do students from poorer backgrounds achieve as well in private schools as their advantaged peers? What are the relative out-of-pocket costs of accessing private schooling compared to government schooling? Is fee-paying non-state provision 'affordable' to the poorest households? What is the nature of the education market at different levels? What are the relationships between different non-state actors and the state, and how should they conduct themselves? The chapters in this volume present new empirical evidence and conduct critical analysis on some of these questions. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

Geoffrey Walford tackles one of the perennial issues in education policy, namely the inter-relationship of markets and equity. His discussion synthesises research findings - his own in the context of others - from over a decade examining the triangle between theory, policy (both current and recent), and practice. This is essential for library collections and individual academics and researchers.

This collection of specially commissioned articles exposes the practical and personal influences on the process of doing sociology of education. All of the authors have been involved in conducting well know major research projects, and discuss here the pitfalls and problems, conflicts and compromises that went into doing their particular research. A particular feature of the book is that a wide variety of types of research in the sociology of education is covered. The range is from small-scale ethnographic case studies to large-scale postal questionnaire sample surveys and includes studies based on interviews, observation and questionnaires. There are examples of longitudinal work in case studies and in surveys. The collection also includes discussions of action research, the development and influence of theory, and the relationship between research and policy.

Britain's public (that is, its major independent) schools have a conspicuous role in the country's social system, and as a result are the subject of a long-standing political debate. The discussion is generally founded on a stereotyped image of what these school may have been like in the 1950s - this books shows how they were in the late 1980s. It is based on fieldwork in two major public boarding schools which the author conducted over an extended period, and draws on interviews, observation and documentary sources to establish a picture of what public school life is actually like for pupils and staff. Since the schools were predominantly male preserves, the major part of the book describes the social world and experiences of boys and school-masters. An important section of the book, however, discusses the introduction of girl pupils, the experiences of female teachers and the way schoolmasters' wives tend to be drawn into their husbands' work. Geoffrey Walford's conclusions about life in public schools differ considerably from traditional expectations. At the same time he asks whether there really has been a 'public school revolution'. His book makes an important contribution to our knowledge of public schools, to debates in the sociology of education and to the issues of abolishing or extending the independent sector.

Can privilege be bought? Arguments have raged over whether private education in the UK is 'the cement in the wall' dividing British society, or whether parental choice is, as has also been argued 'a key component of a free society'. The author here describes the traditional private sector schools, paying attention to the ways in which parents can purchase privilege for their children through attendance at such schools. He argues that the privatized system is kept under tight control if a growth in social and educational inequality and a deepening of social class and ethnic group division is to be avoided. The book is unique in combining an account of private schools in Britain with an examination of the process of privatization.

This volume explores Durkheim's place in modern educational thought at three different levels:
* Durkheim's ideas on education are analyzed and placed in the context of modern society
* current educational issues are explored using a Durkheimian framework
* Durkheim's thought is related to that of modern educational theorists to reveal his enduring influence
In discussing Durkheim's modern relevance, the contributors stress his desire to integrate the practical and theoretical aspects of education. They identify particular pertinence in his focus upon the moral base of education and his insistence upon the importance of the social and society.

eBook available with sample pages: 020302205X

First published in 1989, Private Schools in Ten Countries provides a much needed comparative study, examining private schooling in England and Wales, Scotland, the USA, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. The authors, all experts in their field, describe the nature and extent of private schooling in an historical, economic, and social context. They discuss government policy and assess the available evidence on the relationship between attendance at a public school and the maintenance of inequalities in that society. Unique in its discussion of private schooling in a range of countries this book will enable educationists, politicians and policy makers to look beyond the confines of their own country and to give constructive consideration to the variety of ways in which education can be provided and funded

Originally published in 1987 Restructuring Universities uses Aston University as a case study of the internal restructuring taking place in universities. Aston lost one third of its funding in 1981 and was told to reduce its student numbers by one fifth within three years. The university has a balanced financial budget, well oversubscribed courses, and the average A level scores of entrants are over the national average in all subjects taught. The books looks at the ways in which the university dealt with rapid change, looking particularly at the decision making processes within the university and the ways in which internal power and politics influenced decisions made. Previous models of decision making are discussed and a new political model outlined. The book provides a useful and informed analysis of the context, politics and management of change in the university system.

Volume five of this expanding series of books draws together a collection of papers based on a particular form of critical ethnography developed by Phil Francis Carspecken and his colleagues at the University of Houston. Each chapter is based on a unique field project conducted in the Houston area which was planned and conducted by its particular author, but each chapter shares and exemplifies a common methodological theory. The Houston version of critical ethnography attempts to deal with some challenges from certain feminist and postmodern writers about the validity of qualitative research, and the authors argue that clear methods and standards exist for conducting qualitative studies such that well supported findings may be distinguished from highly questionable ones. Following an initial chapter by Carspecken which outlines the theory and methodology adopted, are seven case studies which cover such topics as multicultural literature, the supervision of teachers in training, school restructuring, charter schools, and race and standardized testing.

What counts as ethnography and what counts as good ethnographic methodology are both highly contested. Volume 6 of this expanding series of books draws together a collection of chapters presenting a diversity of views on some of the debates and developments in ethnographic methodology. It does not try to present a single coherent view but, through its heterogeneity, illustrates the strength and liveliness of debate within this area. The chapters cover central topics such as the challenges to conventional views about validity in ethnographic work, feminist research, comparison within ethnographic research, the public identification of research sites, and the ethics and practice of research involving children. Other chapters deal with relatively newer topics such as the conduct of electronic ethnography, the development of the imagination and emotion within ethnographic writing, and the use of hypertext in the analysis and representation of ethnographic work.

Private schools are central to the reproduction of social inequality. For example, whilst in the UK providing only about seven per cent of the school population, about half of the undergraduates at Oxford and Cambridge still come from the private sector. Private schools have long been associated with privilege and elitism. While this traditional elitist aspect to the private sector is still central, the private school sector is actually far more diverse that is usually acknowledged. It now includes many small schools and faith-based schools that may not offer the traditional advantages of the private sector but which provide a particular environment deemed desirable by parents. In spite of their educational and social importance, there has been very little academic research and writing on private schools. The proposed book will be the culmination of Professor Walford's research into private schools over the past twenty years.

Originally published in 1987 Restructuring Universities uses Aston University as a case study of the internal restructuring taking place in universities. Aston lost one third of its funding in 1981 and was told to reduce its student numbers by one fifth within three years. The university has a balanced financial budget, well oversubscribed courses, and the average A level scores of entrants are over the national average in all subjects taught. The books looks at the ways in which the university dealt with rapid change, looking particularly at the decision making processes within the university and the ways in which internal power and politics influenced decisions made. Previous models of decision making are discussed and a new political model outlined. The book provides a useful and informed analysis of the context, politics and management of change in the university system.

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.

First published in 1984, British Public Schools is a collection of empirically based articles written by sociologists of education who have conducted research into public schools. Studies are presented on why parents sent their children to public schools, on the experiences of pupils and teachers, on aspirations and attitudes of pupils towards higher education, on the increasing emphasis of schools on examination successes, and on the relationships between public school education and educational and occupational successes. This book is an essential read for scholars and researchers of sociology of education and education.

This book brings together key articles that trace the development of British education policy since 1975 and provides a valuable route map to developments within education policy during this period. It includes twenty-six seminal articles from the Oxford Review of Education written by many of the leading authors in the field and covering issues and topics with a wide significance beyond Britain. In one, easy-to-access place, this authoritative reference book provides a collection of articles that have made an important impact on policy studies and cover a broad range of significant policy issues, including: equality in education school effectiveness special educational needs school choice fourteen to nineteen education the structure of the educational system. The book has been compiled by the current editors of the journal to show the development of the field, and their specially written introduction contextualises the selection and introduces students to the main issues and current thinking in the field.

The prime focus on the social processes of schooling within educational ethnography has tended to marginalise or eschew the importance of other 'informal' educational sites. Other social institutions, such as family, community, media and popular culture, work and prisons are salient arenas in which behaviours and lives are regulated. They all interrelate and are all implicated in the generation, management and development of social identities and the social and cultural reproduction of structures and relations. Individuals, though, are not merely shaped by these social institutions, their agency is evident in the way they creatively adapt and accommodate to the tensions and constraints of economic, educational and social policies. The maintenance of self in these situations requires identity work involving mediation, conflict, contestation and modes of resistance, which often contribute to a continual reconstruction of situations and contexts.

This volume of Studies in Educational Ethnography focuses on identity and agency in a variety of social institutions in educational ethnography. The contributors explore these themes in a wide range of international contexts including; Belgium, Sweden, North America, South Africa and England. They demonstrate the capacity of educational ethnography to provide accounts of participants' perspectives and understandings to highlight the agency of educational subjects.

Durkeim's book on suicide, first published in 1897, is widely regarded as a classic text, and is essential reading for any student of Durkheim's thought and sociological method. This book examines the continuing importance of Durkheim's methodology. The wide-ranging chapters cover such issues as the use of statistics, explanation of suicide, anomie and religion and the morality of suicide. It will be of vital interest to any serious scholar of Durkheim's thought and to the sociologist looking for a fresh methodological perspective.

First published in 1989, Private Schools in Ten Countries provides a much needed comparative study, examining private schooling in England and Wales, Scotland, the USA, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. The authors, all experts in their field, describe the nature and extent of private schooling in an historical, economic, and social context. They discuss government policy and assess the available evidence on the relationship between attendance at a public school and the maintenance of inequalities in that society. Unique in its discussion of private schooling in a range of countries this book will enable educationists, politicians and policy makers to look beyond the confines of their own country and to give constructive consideration to the variety of ways in which education can be provided and funded

What counts as ethnography and what counts as good ethnographic methodology are both highly contested. This volume brings together chapters presenting a diversity of views on some of the current debates and developments in the field. It does not try to present a single coherent view but, through its heterogeneity, illustrates the strength and impact of debate. The topics discussed include participant observation, research roles in fieldwork, access to places and people in research, ethical issues concerning anonymity and intimacy in research, generalization in ethnography, the use of video, developing stronger criteria for autoethnography, and the use of ethnography as a contribution to the generation and modification of indicators. Together the collection illustrates the strength and vitality of ethnography.

Hardbound. Studies of gender and education have been at the forefront of much ethnographic research for several decades, but the interest in sexualities and education is more recent. Indeed, to study sexualities and schooling is, almost in itself, a challenge to many common assumptions about children and what it is 'to be a child'. However, study of the nature and construction of gender and sexuality has now become a recognized and highly productive research area, and one that is highly suited to ethnographic methods. The new research presented in these chapters illustrates some of the range of recent work in the area and the power of ethnography to uncover the complex and contested processes of construction.

Fuelled by social equity concerns, there have been vigorous debates on the appropriateness of certain non-state actors, particularly those with commercial and entrepreneurial motives, to meet universal education goals. There are further questions on the relative effectiveness of government and private schooling in delivering good learning outcomes for all. Within this debate, several empirical questions abound. Do students from poorer backgrounds achieve as well in private schools as their advantaged peers? What are the relative out-of-pocket costs of accessing private schooling compared to government schooling? Is fee-paying non-state provision 'affordable' to the poorest households? What is the nature of the education market at different levels? What are the relationships between different non-state actors and the state, and how should they conduct themselves? The chapters in this volume present new empirical evidence and conduct critical analysis on some of these questions. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

This book presents a valuable and authoritative evaluation of the real impact Labour's two terms have had on the British education system.

On the 1st May 1997 the British electorate witnessed a watershed moment. After an eighteen year Conservative rule, a New Labour government took office. When asked what his top three priorities were for the first term, Tony Blair stated that they would be 'education, education, education.' This book questions the extent to which the policy has met the rhetoric; examining Labour's education policy, practice and achievements during Blair's two terms in office.

This selection of writings by highly respected academics in this field charts and evaluates the effects of policy changes on the various sectors of the educational system and on the major indicators of inequality.

This book was previously published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.

The last thirty years have seen unprecedented change in education. A field that used to be a backwater in terms of government policy has now become a central - and high-profile - priority in many countries around the world.
This book brings together key articles that trace the development of British education policy since 1975 and provides a valuable route map to developments within education policy during this period. It includes 26 seminal articles from the journal Oxford Review of Education, written by many of the leading authors in the field, and covering issues and topics with a wide significance beyond Britain.
In one, easy-to-access place, this authoritative reference book provides a collection of articles that have made an important impact on policy studies and cover a broad range of significant policy issues, including:
- equality in education
- school effectiveness
- special educational needs
- school choice
- 14 to 19 education
- the structure of the educational system.
The book has been compiled by the current editors of the journal to show the development of the field, and their specially written Introduction contextualizes the selection and introduces students to the main issues and current thinking in the field.

This book presents a valuable and authoritative evaluation of the real impact Laboura (TM)s two terms have had on the British education system.

On the 1st May 1997 the British electorate witnessed a watershed moment. After an eighteen year Conservative rule, a New Labour government took office. When asked what his top three priorities were for the first term, Tony Blair stated that they would be a ~education, education, education.a (TM) This book questions the extent to which the policy has met the rhetoric; examining Laboura (TM)s education policy, practice and achievements during Blaira (TM)s two terms in office.

This selection of writings by highly respected academics in this field charts and evaluates the effects of policy changes on the various sectors of the educational system and on the major indicators of inequality.

This book was previously published as a special issue of the Oxford Review of Education.