Beyond Networks? A Brief Response to ‘Which Networks Matter in Education Governance?’

Abstract

Mark Goodwin's commentary on and critique, in this issue, of my 2008 article in this journal ( Ball, 2008 ) is both pertinent and constructive and indeed I agree with almost all of it. Goodwin makes the point that the distribution of power and capabilities within policy networks was not properly addressed in my article and that as a result I may tend to overestimate the looseness of such networks and underestimate the continuing prominence of the formal legal powers of the state in processes of governance. He also suggests that the existence of and work done by the networks I describe should not in themselves be taken to be indicative of a shift from government to network governance. These concerns raise very proper and important questions and pose major challenges for empirical policy network analysis. However, I would want to say that my 2008 article represents a first foray into the issues and problems of a grounded analysis of network governance in education. Many of the points made in Goodwin's reply are ones on which I am engaged in a current ESRC-funded project (RES-062-23-1484) on philanthropy and education policy.