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Understanding Evaluation in the UK

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Evaluation and Governing in the 21st Century

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Science, Knowledge and Policy ((SKP))

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Abstract

This chapter provides a genealogical tracing of the discourse of evaluation and governing. Evaluation is frequently presented as characteristic of the ascendance of evidence-based policy-making (EBPM). However, through the lens of youth work in the UK and a discussion of the shifting attitudes of policy-making elites towards evaluation research, the chapter disrupts this discourse. As an alternative, it argues that evaluation’s emergence as part of governing has been facilitated by the growth of New Public Management and developments in information communication science. The chapter reviews these discourses, showing that themes within NPM and ICS have been absorbed by evaluation and the evaluation–governing relationship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

    Deirdre Niamh Duffy

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  1. Deirdre Niamh Duffy
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Correspondence to Deirdre Niamh Duffy .

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Duffy, D.N. (2017). Understanding Evaluation in the UK. In: Evaluation and Governing in the 21st Century. Palgrave Studies in Science, Knowledge and Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54513-8_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54513-8_2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-54512-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-54513-8

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