In this important attempt to reorient the theory and practice of public management, Stewart Ranson and John Stewart argue that public organisations must be analysed in terms of the distinctive values, purposes, tasks and conditions of the public domain. They show how it is only on this basis that they can meet the needs of citizens in a mature democracy and support the processes of a learning society.

Many educators have been looking for a fundamentally different approach to engage young people and encourage progress in learning. Supported by recent public policy developments, a transformation is beginning to take place in the practice of many schools. The focus of learning is shifting away from the child as an individual in a classroom detached from the surrounding neighbourhood to a learning community that embraces carers and families as well as young people and teachers. This monograph analyses the organising principles of this cultural transformation and considers how it will shape...