Crippling Epistemologies and Governance Failures
A Plea for Experimentalism
Format:Paperback
Publisher:University of Ottawa Press
Published:18th Apr '09
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
In "Crippling Epistemologies and Governance Failures", Gilles Paquet criticizes the prevailing practices of the social sciences on the basis of their inadequate concepts of knowledge, evidence and inquiry, concepts he claims have become methodological 'mental prisons'. Paquet describes the prevailing policy development process in Canada in terms of its weak information infrastructure, poor accountability, and inflexible organization design. In contrast, he suggests that social science and public policy should promote forms of 'serious play' that would allow organizations to experiment with new structures. Paquet engages with numerous foundationalist programs in the social sciences in order to show their inadequacy and suggests important and unexplored directions in policy areas as diverse as education, science, health, intergovernmental and foreign policy. He closes the work with a plea for experimentalism in academic research, policy development, and organization design.
"Paquet's vigorous plea that mediocrity need not be accepted must be read and acted upon." - Patrice Dutil, Literary Review of Canada
ISBN: 9780776607030
Dimensions: 203mm x 127mm x 19mm
Weight: 369g
298 pages