“How we theorise and analyse policy is an under-worked and under-written aspect of critical policy studies. This book fills a gap in an accessible and articulate manner and draws on the scholarship of an impressive and diverse set of policy scholars. Working with text and agency to explore how policy is understood and investigated, and posing searching questions about how policy is analysed and researched, this collection will be invaluable to educationalists, researchers and policy-makers, in sharpening current and future studies in the field.”

Meg Maguire, Professor, King’s College London, UK

“As factors influencing the development and enactment of policy in education become increasingly varied and complex, new approaches to policy research are clearly needed. Drawing on recent developments in social and political theory, this book presents a collection of critical essays that constitutes a most accessible and helpful introduction to the shifting field of educational policy studies.”

Fazal Rizvi, Emeritus Professor, The University of Melbourne, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

“...a must-read primer to critical education policy analysis. This rich collection by renowned international experts spans a wide array of theoretical and methodological insights into text-based sources and the roles and experiences of human and non-human actors. Infused with concrete examples and sensitivity towards the variety of analytical approaches in the field, it is a true gift to all of us pursuing responsible, relevant, and robust research on education policy in national and global contexts.”

Nelli Piattoeva, Associate Professor, Tampere University, Finland

“The field of education policy research is a morass of epistemological turns and normative wrangling, making it a difficult space to navigate for students and researchers not familiar with its rich albeit complicated relationship to different intellectual histories and political projects. To aid readers through this muddy terrain and offer essential clarity and comprehension on the various theories and methods available, from network ethnography to visual discourse, problem representation and Foucauldian analytics, Stacey and Mockler bring together a stellar group of researchers to showcase some of the most innovative approaches to education policy research.”

Andrew Wilkins, Professor, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

"[T]his text makes an excellent contribution by mapping what critical qualitative policy analysis can be. This is important, as neoliberal policy has overtaken education across international contexts and many degree-granting institutions, grant-awarding agencies, and publication outlets have prioritized evidence-based policy making and effectiveness studies over the types of critical inquiry explored throughout this book. The writing is accessible and sensitive to the diverse array of theories and approaches presented. As such, this text serves as a primer for those who are interested in moving beyond understanding educational policy in terms of effectiveness or economics-based theories using narrowly defined measures."

Amanda S. Frasier, National Board-Certified teacher, East Tennessee State University, USA, in Teachers College Record

"By presenting diverse theoretical perspectives and methodologies, [Analysing Education Policy: Theory and Method] equips educationalists, researchers, and policymakers with valuable insights for critically engaging with educational policies. It challenges traditional notions of policy as a neutral construct, highlighting the values and power dynamics that influence education systems. Ultimately, this work serves as a significant contribution to the field of education policy studies, addressing contemporary challenges and advocating for a more equitable and inclusive educational environment."

Ariska Gunawan, Juita Surahmi, and Ali Usman, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia, in Management in Education.

Meghan Stacey is Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Education and Education Policy at the UNSW School of Education, where she takes a particular interest in the critical policy sociology of teachers’ work. Her first book, The Business of Teaching, was published in 2020 with Palgrave.

Nicole Mockler is Professor of Education at the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on education policy and politics, particularly as they frame teachers’ work, professional identities, and professional learning. Her most recent book is Constructing Teacher Identities (Bloomsbury, 2022).