Everyday Life in British Government

Mariana Heredia, Luisina Perelmiter, Perfiles Latinoamericanos 41 Beyond these observations, and for the reasons already mentioned, the book makes an original contribution, it is rigorous and highly stimulating for those interested in governance practices and shaping of its elites, even outside Britain.

Fran Thorn, President of the Institute of Public Administration, Australia One of the best books I have ever read about how the public service works.

Alistair Davey, Public Administration Rhodes skilfully paints a lucid picture of how beliefs and practices create meaning in politics, policy-making, and public service delivery. The reader is left with a firm impression of a story-telling political administrative elite that uses willed-ordinariness, underpinned by routines, rituals, protocols, and language, to domesticate the rude surprises that punctuate everyday government.

Andrew Connell, Political Studies Review Some will read this fine and engaging book for its sharp observation of ministers and their private offices at work. Others will value it as a detailed and methodologically explicit example of the value of observation as part of the political scholars tool-kit: indeed, it is an excellent case study in using ones research as a showcase or ones ontology and epistemology (in this case, an interpretivist position which emphasises the interaction of narratives and practices).

Evert A. Lindquist, Canadian Public Administration Rhodes' writing is personal, assertive, challenging, informed and always interesting.

Ludger Helms, Innsbruck Everyday Life in British Government by R.A.W. Rhodes, one of Britains foremost executive scholars, is both an important and a very personal book. This rare combination flows not just from the authors truly passionate interest in his subjects but also, and more importantly, from the particular methodological approach to studying British government ministers and civil servants used in this book.

Dr Steve Coulter, LSE blog One of the "must have" books on politics for 2011... a fascinating and surprisingly readable and entertaining book. Politicians and bureaucrats, believe it or not, are just like us - well maybe not quite. They swear, make mistakes, and bitch and gossip about each other and their enemies (usually the Treasury)... a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the Whitehall.

R. A. W. Rhodes is Professor of Government (Research) at the University of Southampton (UK); Adjunct Professor of Government and Public Policy at Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia); and Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Newcastle (UK).

List of Table and Figures ; Glossary ; Preface and Acknowledgements ; 1. Observing Government Elites ; PART I: THE SETTING ; 2. The Governmental Setting ; 3. The Departmental Setting ; PART II: THE ACTORS ; 4. The Minister ; 5. The Permanent Secretary ; PART III: SCENES ; 6. The Departmental Court ; 7. Protocols, Rituals and Languages ; 8. Networks and Governance ; 9. The Resignation ; 10. Willed Ordinariness, Being There, and Myths ; Bibliography ; Index