Social networks: a tool for the analysis and interpretation of educational policy (full text in Greek)

Abstract

If the establishment and implementation of an educational policy that comes to be applied in the field (institution) is understood as the object of negotiations that is sometimes implemented, sometimes marginalized and sometimes deformed, then the analysis of this multiform process could be carried out through the theoretical view of policy networks and the actions of social actors within these networks. With this thesis as the starting point of this paper, the theoretical notion of social networks will be presented and analyzed in order to explain how the actors of an (educational) institution create networks with the aim of promoting and defending ideas, beliefs and interests. As a result, the educational institution is understood as a field of controversy, conflict, negotiation and compromise with its external environment (international environment, state, society) and its internal reality (power distribution, hierarchy, internal functions). In this paper, the main points of the theoretical view of social networks will initially be presented and then the use of networks in a policy issue (policy networks) will be analyzed. Focusing on educational policy programs that result intense conflict during their establishment and implementation, this paper will propose a specific theoretical framework, which, in our opinion, is an appropriate tool for this analysis.