Frank Stacey Memorial Lecture 2008
Scenes from the Departmental Court
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6113758 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Roderick A W Rhodes (0000-0002-1886-2392, University of Tasmania and Australian National University, Australia, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 437-456 |
| Publication date | 2009-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Policy and Administration (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0952-0767 • E-ISSN: 1749-4192 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0952076709340716 |
| OpenAlex | W2113906241 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 7 |
This article argues for research grounded in interpretive theory, or the beliefs and practices of actors, and observational fieldwork, or thick descriptions of what the actors think they are doing. However, discussions of theory and method only come to life when they are grounded in fieldwork. So, at the heart of the article is an account of the Private Offices of British central government departments. I argue that the focus on beliefs and practices enables me to tell a new story. The existing literature does not explore how the individuals who comprise the department’s core executive coordinate the department’s tasks and resolve conflicts. There is a ‘departmental court’ that dare not speak its name. By describing the court ‘at work’, I focus not on individual Private Offices but on the tasks of coordination and conflict resolution at the top of the department. I conclude that any approach that provides new evidence and a novel interpretation makes a strong case for inclusion in the armoury of every student of public administration
Conflict resolution · Grounded theory · Linguistics · Observational study · Political science · Public relations · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Law · Policy Transfer and Learning · Political Systems and Governance · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research
Maintaining neutrality in the Minister's office
Rhodes' Contribution to Governance Theory
Thinking On
Core Executive Studies Two Decades On
Court politics in a federal polity
New Life at the Top
Non-Partisan Advisors in the Minister’s Office—Ghosts in the Core Executive Machine
Promiscuously Partisan? Public Service Impartiality and Responsiveness in Westminster Systems
| Citations per year | 0.53 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2011 - 2023 (13) |
| Highly cited | No |