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"This book sheds new light on bureaucratic performance and education in developing countries. Through a multi-level comparative analysis of four Indian states, and over two years of ethnographic research, the book opens the 'black box' of Indian bureaucracy, revealing how bureaucratic norms interact with social inequalities to shape public services"--
List of contents
Part I. Introduction, Puzzles and Theory: 1. Introduction: bureaucracy and the politics of implementing primary education; 2. Bureaucratic norms: a theory of implementation; 3. The state and primary education in India; Part II. Implementing Primary Education in Northern India: 4. How legalistic bureaucracy generates uneven implementation; 5. How deliberative bureaucracy facilitates adaptive implementation; 6. Norm persistence: exit, voice and bureaucratic inertia; 7. Norm change: conflict and commitment on the front lines of reform; Part III. Comparative Extensions and Implications: 8. The argument in comparative perspective; 9. Conclusion: reimagining bureaucracy for inclusive development; Appendix: researching bureaucracy and frontline public services.
About the author
Akshay Mangla is Associate Professor of International Business at Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He specializes in comparative politics, political economy, development, public institutions, education, social welfare, and South Asia.
Summary
This book sheds new light on bureaucratic performance and education in developing countries. Through a multi-level comparative analysis of four Indian states, and over two years of ethnographic research, the book opens the 'black box' of Indian bureaucracy, revealing how bureaucratic norms interact with social inequalities to shape public services.
