American public education has been under assault for the last few decades as a “broken” system that needs a complete overhaul. In large part, these opinions are offered by people and organizations who know little about schools. But who are these influencers? This book is about conservative philanthropies, the organizations and individuals within their networks, and the strategies they use to shape educational policy and practice in K-12 and higher education. Each chapter examines a philanthropy, philanthropic network, or corporation focused on pushing an agenda of individualism, privatization, and conservative ideologies. Based in extensive research, including the tax filings of specific philanthropic foundations, the authors demonstrate how the philanthropic elite work within federal, state, and local governmental contexts to influence policy and practice. Within a global context of increasing wealth inequality, the authors question the motivations of these privileged few to withhold tax dollars from the US treasury where duly elected representatives can determine how tax dollars are used to benefit society. By allowing these philanthropic organizations tax exemptions under the guise of assumed benevolence, are citizens giving up their ability to hold these organizations accountable for how the money is spent? This book, aimed at a general audience of educators, provides the in-depth knowledge necessary to understand and resist private control of public policies and institutions.

Written by scholars from three generations of qualitative methodologists, Qualitative Research Design and Methods: An Introduction situates qualitative research within the history of the field and integrates this history within discussions of specific research designs. This novel approach allows readers to come to know the genealogy of the field and how previous generations of scholars have informed what we know today as qualitative research. The text reflects these more traditional as well as emerging qualitative research approaches, providing a theoretically grounded approach to designing and implementing qualitative research studies. While some introductory research texts focus on the specific methods of qualitative research with little attention to the role of theory, this book forefronts theory in qualitative research. The authors speak to students new to qualitative research with clear discussions of theory and theoretical concepts and how those notions must be considered throughout all aspects of research design, implementation, and representation of findings. Each chapter integrates discussion of theory. In addition, the book highlights the role of ethics in the same way with a chapter at the beginning as well as discussions of ethics threaded throughout each of the design chapters. Qualitative Research Design and Methods is THE introductory textbook for students taking introductory masters and doctoral courses in qualitative research. Instructors in those classes will appreciate the straightforward language and concepts provided by the authors. Perfect for courses such as: Introduction to Qualitative Research and Qualitative Research Design

At a moment when brawls are breaking out at school board meetings and state officials are increasingly issuing curricular mandates, it’s possible that this text’s central question is more important than ever: How is it that given good intentions and hard work among education professionals, things in schools can go so very wrong? As in the first edition, Hinchey and Konkol suggest that unspoken and misleading assumptions can produce choices, decisions and policies with disastrous consequences for kids. They tease out such assumptions on the key issues of school goals, curriculum, education for citizenship, discipline and school reform, inviting readers to question the taken-for-granted in order to better align intentions and outcomes. Such contemporary issues as book banning and parents’ movements are presented not as isolated controversies, but instead in their historical, cultural and political contexts. Designed for both undergraduate and graduate classrooms, the text applies to a wide range of studies related to public education, including its theory, policy, history and politics. Without proselytizing, the text asks readers to think for themselves and articulate their own commitments guided by end-of-chapter questions, some intended for all readers and some specifically for experienced professionals. Suggested additional readings, websites and videos invite further exploration of the topics under discussion and offer still more food for thought.

This comprehensive Handbook illustrates the wide range of approaches to teaching and learning social research methods in the classroom, online, in the field and in informal contexts. Bringing together contributors from varied disciplines and nations, it represents a landmark in the development of pedagogical culture for social research methods.

While the COVID-19 pandemic overshadowed all else and would quickly have a lasting impact on our daily lives, other events related to the radical right in 2020 soon surfaced. From terrorist attacks in Germany and India to anti-mask protests across the U.S. and Europe, radical right violence escalated in the midst of circulating conspiracy theories and disinformation. The yearbook draws upon insightful analyses from an international network of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners who explore the dynamics and impact of the radical right. It explores a wide range of topics including reflections on authoritarianism and fascism, the role of ideology and (counter-)intellectuals, and radical-right responses to the pandemic and calls for police reform in the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. It ends with important assessments on best approaches towards countering the radical right, both online and offline. This timely overview provides a broad examination of the global radical right in 2020, which will be useful for scholars, students, policymakers, journalists, and the public.

A deep-dive investigation of education privatization that reveals voucher programs as the faulty products of decades of work by wealthy patrons and influential conservatives

While women have influenced the fields of program evaluation and mixed methods research, their contributions are rarely acknowledged. In this edited volume, we recognize the contributions Jennifer C. Greene made to evaluation and mixed methods, focusing on how she disrupted traditional ways methods are conceptualized and implemented. We aim to provide a range of perspectives on how Greene disrupted social science theory, methodology, and training through her commitment to the values of democracy, diversity, and dialogue. Accordingly, the volume makes explicit how Greene democratized social science inquiry and training by emphasizing inclusive, culturally responsive, and educative theories, methods, and pedagogical practices. Second, it clarifies how her commitment to diversity supported scholars from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and cultures (within and beyond the United States) and validated often ignored perspectives on phenomena or experiences. And third, it showcases how her commitment to dialogue opened spaces for non-traditional methodological approaches that engage, communicate, and disseminate program evaluation and mixed methods work. Taken together, the first-hand accounts presented in this volume offer a historical perspective and practical guidance on program evaluation and mixed methods conceptualization, implementation, and training. Endorsements: 'The theme of “disruption” in this book is a powerful look at the breadth and significance of Jennifer C. Greene’s distinguished contributions, both theoretical and practical, in evaluation for over 30 years. In essence, these chapters reveal the sustaining power of her scholarship and influence today and likely in years to come. Her recognition that no single method can solve the complex problems faced in evaluation is revealed in the ontological, epistemological, and methodological work she developed on mixed methods, which led to a genre of study that recast the debate about the hegemony of quantitative over qualitative methods and vice versa. She has foregrounded values, the quintessential character of evaluation, by recognizing the multiplicity of perspectives that guide our theories, roles, questions, designs, and perceptions of quality. Jennifer Greene’s generativity is exemplified in her egalitarian dialogic stance, inclusion of voices and context, and commitment to equity. The chapters reflect the impact of her work on scholars who continue to advance evaluation for a more just society.' — Valerie J. Caracelli, U.S. Government Accountability Office 'It is not possible to convey in a few words my strongest endorsement for this volume that begins scratching the surface of Jennifer C. Greene’s many contributions to evaluation theory, methods, and practice. I have worked with and learned from her on many occasions over the years as I grappled with refining my understanding and practice of culturally responsive evaluation. I commend the editors and authors for this first substantive collection providing a more in-depth understanding and appreciation of Jennifer Greene’s body of work for some while providing others the opportunity to revisit the lessons we have learned from her work, spirit, and commitment to make a difference.' — Stafford Hood, Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation & Assessment (CREA) and Professor Emeritus University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign