Interpreting British Governance

by Rod Rhodes, Mark Bevir

How is Britain governed? Have we entered a new era of governance? Can traditional approaches to governance help us to interpret 21st century Britain? This book develops the argument that we can understand political practices only by grasping the beliefs on which people act. It offers a governance narrative as a challenge to the Westminster model of British government and searches for a more accurate and open way of speaking about British government. Part 1 defines the authors' interpretive approach, their epistemology and governance. Part 2 provides an extended illustration of their approach by using the concepts of tradition and dilemma to re-analyse critically public sector reforms as enacted by politicians. Part 3 uses history and ethnography to decentre public sector reform as constructed by civil servants. This controversial and innovative volume argues that there is no necessary or given pattern of governance but only the constructions of various traditions. The authors thus reject the concept of an empiricist 'political science' for an interpretive approach which finds the study of politics rooted in history, philosophy and anthropology.; This book will appeal to students and researchers of British Government, Public Administration and Political Science Methods.

Kindle Edition

First published March 27, 2003