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Abstract
This paper argues that the content, analytical approaches and institutional affiliations of authors of articles published in the latest issues of two leading educational policy studies journals provide useful insights into the contested nature of educational policy studies. The paper draws upon a selection of articles published in 2007/08 issues of two flag-ship policy journals, the UK-based Journal of Education Policy, and the US-based Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. At the same time, the article is also suggestive of how Pierre Bourdieu's analytical resources of field, habitus and capital might be used to understand the academic journal publication practices which contribute to this contestation. The paper suggests that these journals and the articles within them may be construed as valued capitals and ‘traces’ of a broader conflict over what is considered valid research within the field of educational policy studies.
Acknowledgements
This paper was stimulated by a symposium on the theme of ‘Policy as Practice’ held at Charles Sturt University in November 2006. Thank you to Bill Green for instigating this initiative. Thank you also to colleagues Shaun Rawolle and Jane Wilkinson for many productive conversations in relation to earlier versions of the paper. I would also like to acknowledge the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful feedback, and to Bob Lingard for his constructive comments on a later iteration.