Studying Policy Transfer through the Lens of Social Network Analysis

The panelists present the findings of a joint empirical research project carried out at Aarhus University (DPU/Copenhagen) and at Teachers College, Columbia University (New York). The research project succeeded to identify discursive networks of political stakeholders and policy advisors that were considered key actors in the Danish school reform. The research team investigated how these networks interrelate, change over time, and represent different constituents (government, academe, business), at times contradicting or collaborating with each other, respectively. Against the backdrop of globalization studies in comparative education, the research project attempted to identify borrowers, translators, and brokers of educational reform drawing on a complementary set of expertise from social network analysis methodology (Oren Pizmony-Levy Drezner), research on the 2014 Danish school reform (Dorthe Staunæs), policy borrowing theory and methodology (Katja Brøgger Jensen), and comparative policy studies (Gita Steiner-Khamsi).

Papers
The Relevance of the Research Project
Understanding the Context/Case
Policy Borrowing Research: Challenged Empirically?
Chair: Kerstin Martens
Discussant: Iveta Silova