<i>‘This is an interesting “how to” guide to social policy evaluation, presenting a range of discussions of methodologies, applications to social policy and detailed case studies.’</i>
- Jason Lowther, Taylor & Francis Online,
<i>‘This book is a useful addition to the library of works relating to evaluation. It embraces a range of approaches that can be employed in undertaking evaluations, delivers a breadth of methodologies, depending on context and constituencies, and provides a wide selection of applications that will be helpful to new entrants in the field of evaluation and also to experienced practitioners.’</i>
- Ceri J. Phillips, Swansea University, UK,
<i>‘This is an important collection that carefully and critically explores the challenges researchers face in conducting social policy evaluation and gives clear guidance on the full range of different approaches along with practical examples of their use. It should be essential reading for anyone trying to evaluate social policy.’</i>
- Ian Greener, University of Strathclyde, UK,
Organized into three thematic sections, this new resource includes contributions from a variety of researchers from a range of disciplines and countries. The first section explores evaluation and examples of methods used; the second focuses on the intersection between evaluation and policy-making; and the third delves into current social policy in order to discover the use of evaluation within central welfare state policies. One conclusion found is that welfare states are increasingly using evidence, but that it varies from and within different welfare areas.
Researchers and students with an interest in evaluation and social policy analysis, as well as policy-makers and administrators in need of evidence and analysis on the subject, will find much value in this clear and precise overview of the use and misuse of evidence.
Contributors include: K. Bakhai, M. Barnard, A.E. Boardman, R. Boruch, K.N. Breidahl, C. Brown, M. Calnan, E. Cassells, M. Costa, C. Deeming, P. Dahler-Larsen, T. Douglass, J. Edbrooke-Childs, W. Eichhorst, D. Etherington, S. Evans-Lacko, J.-E. Furubo, H. Gaus, M. Gerressu, H. Gleeson, D. Gondek, B. Greve, A. Hagelund, A. Halvorsen, M.B. Hansen, T. Haux, M.A. Hussain, J.M. Hyatt, C. Irish, J. Jacob, H.C. Kavli, M. Knapp, R. Konle-Seidl, M. Lakhanpaul, K. Liket, N. McHugh, C.E. Mueller, L. Richardson, R. Rodrigues, M.J. Roy, S. Sinclair, K. Smith, T. Sundberg, H. Turner, W. Van Lancker, A.R. Vining, J. Warren, I. Whelan, J. Wistow, M. Wolpert, R. Yang