Reflexivity, position, and the ambivalent public space: the politics of educational policy in Taiwan’s local governments

Abstract

The rise of reflexivity and neoliberalism has led to a change in the nature of the public sphere and policy management. Thus, focusing only on analyses of state-initiated policy and the actions of central government is not conducive to understanding the complex process of policy implementation today. Hence, this study aims to analyse the politics and process of policy implementation at the level of local government in Taiwan through two rounds of qualitative interviews. It is found that current policy environment has created the “agile” actors, which locates in the informally and flexibly collaborative space rather than structured within the formal institutions. And the value of administrators (accountability-orientated) is not favourable to successful implementation. Moreover, a successful case of policy implementation is also analysed. It is concluded that “reflexivity” and “position” in the “ambivalent public space” are the key factors to interpret the process of policy implementation. Finally, it is suggested that we should expand key actors’ “macro imagination” (recognizing the changing nature of the public sphere) and “micro imagination” (creating discourses reflecting current problems and reconstructing new possibilities) in the process of policy enactment.

Keywords:

• Educational policy
• reflexivity
• public sphere
• neoliberalism
• assemblage

Notes

1. This is the largest office in local education departments.