The OECD and the Field of Knowledge Brokers in Danish, Finnish and Icelandic Education Policy

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Tracing the Formation and Utilization of Evidence in Nordic Education Policy

Proposal

In this paper, we look at the extent to which the OECD and national institutions function as data-driven knowledge brokers in the shaping of education in the Nordic region. The paper offers in-depth analysis of Denmark, Finland and Iceland as empirical cases to understand the field of knowledge brokers in general and the role of the OECD in particular. The paper takes its starting point in mapping the frequency of references to OECD publications in recent school reforms in the three countries, including the types of OECD documents and the different weight they carried in each country in relation to other providers of evidence within the national context. The analysis then identifies policy instruments emerging from the documents and analyses how national institutions are engaged in the translation of these instruments into the national contexts. Finally, the paper looks at the significance and position of these national institutions and the OECD in the national educational field. The paper contributes to our understanding of policy flows through the disaggregation of the OECD’s workings in the three selected countries in the Nordic region.
All case country analyses reveal multiple layers in the OECD-related references. On the one hand, all policy documents – both green papers and white papers – tend to follow the demands and credos of evidence-based policy. But perhaps more importantly, the documents associated with OECD policy instruments carry a larger weight than what can be seen in the mere list of references. First, this leads to reinforce that bibliometric reference is more than a reference and signals commitment in addition to relaying information. Second, and following theoretical framework of this chapter, this leads us to conclude that the references are formed in power relations and in reformulations of capital. We conclude that at the very least, the power of knowledge seems to channel through the same hubs. And at the very least, the OECD is indeed powerful in forming an epistemic community and a constituency underpinning its policy instruments, more powerful than other international organisations in the Nordic countries. These findings correspond well with Grek’s argument about the OECD taking up a position as a boundary organization in the Nordic region. Further studies should now move to unravel the configurations and workings of the networks that create the basis for this power.

Authors

• Christian Ydesen, Aalborg University

• Jaakko Kauko, University of Tampere, Finland