"[This book] achieve a wide arrays of objectives: providing valuable analytical lenses to investigate administrative phenomena ... inspiring both new research by scholars and novel ways for practitioners to conceive of their role; and, last but not least, reminding us how fascinating administrative studies can be, and how much better, more informed and insightful, public debates would be if these issues were to become part and parcel of an informed discussion. [This book] ... will contribute potently to the field of public administration." (Edoardo Ongaro, International Review of Public Administration, November 25, 2020)
1 Conceptualizing Discretion.Tony Evans, Peter Hupe
Part I. Discretion in Context
2 Discretion in Context: An Introduction. Peter Hupe,Tony Evans
3 Discretion and Blame Avoidance. Christopher Hood
4 Discretion in the Surveillance State. Mark Hardy
5 Discretion in the Welfare State. Evelyn Brodkin
6 Discretion and Welfare Rights in a British Context. Michael Hill
7 Discretion and Empowerment Greg Marston, Danielle Davidson
Part II. Perspectives on Discretion
8 Perspectives on Discretion: An Introduction. Tony Evans, Peter Hupe
9 Discretion from a Legal Perspective. Peter Mascini
10 Discretion from an Economic Perspective. Dirk Wolfson
11 Discretion from a Psychological Perspective. Lars Tummers, Victor Bekkers
12 Discretion from a Sociological Perspective. Zachary Oberfield
13 Discretion from a Critical Perspective. Hannah Jobling.
Part III. Discretion in Governance
14 Discretion in Governance: An Introduction. Peter Hupe, Tony Evans
15 Discretion and Bureaucracy. Paul du Gay, Kirstine Zinck Pedersen
16 Discretion in the Policy Process. Peter Hupe, Michael Hill
17 Discretion and Street-Level Practice. Hendrik Wagenaar
18 Organized Discretion. Suzanne Rutz, Antoinette de Bont
19 Managerial Discretion. Catherine Needham
20 Automated Discretion. Stavros Zouridis, Marlies van Eck, Mark Bovens
Part IV. Practising Freedom and Control
21 Practising Freedom and Control: An Introduction. Tony Evans, Peter Hupe
22 Expertise and the Space for Discretion. Michael Luntley
23 Discretion and Professional Work. Tony Evans
24 The Art of Discretion. Tony Evans
25 Discretion as Ethical Practice. Gideon Calder
26 Controlled Freedom: Dealing with Discretion. Peter Hupe, Tony Evans
Tony Evans is Professor of Social Work at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. His research interests focus on professional practice and policy work in adult social care.
Peter Hupe is Visiting Professor at the Public Governance Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium. He is also Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK. His research focuses on the theoretical-empirical study of public policy processes, particularly policy implementation and street-level bureaucracy.
‘This is an essential compendium for scholars and practitioners who seek to understand the role of discretion as a fundamental element of laws, rules, and social norms. Scholarly perspectives and practical insights are enriched through consideration of the exercise, limits, and abuse of discretion in governing, organizations, and professional practice. The distinguished set of authors makes this an impressive undertaking.’
–Peter J. May, Donald R. Matthews Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Washington, USA
‘This volume addresses some of the very important practice dilemmas for professionals in our time. It provides a road map for navigating the contours of working the spaces between the restrictions of rules and the responsiveness to people in shifting contexts. It gives us hope and ways to move forward. A must-read for every professional.’
–Jan Fook, Professor and Chair, Department of Social Work, University of Vermont, USA
Looking at discretion broadly as the exercise of controlled freedom, this edited volume introduces insights from a range of social sciences perspectives. Traditionally, discussions of discretion have drawn on legal notions of the appropriate exercise of legitimate authority specified by legislators. However, empirical and theoretical studies in the social sciences have extended our understanding of discretion, moving us beyond a narrow legal view. Contributors from a range of disciplines explore the idea of discretion and related notions of freedom and control across social and political practices and in different contexts. As this complex and important topic is discussed and examined, both total control and unconstrained freedom appear to be illusions.
Tony Evans is Professor of Social Work at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. His research interests focus on professional practice and policy work in adult social care.
Peter Hupe is Visiting Professor at the Public Governance Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium. He is also Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK. His research focuses on the theoretical-empirical study of public policy processes, particularly policy implementation and street-level bureaucracy.