Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts

<p>This paper uses empirical research data and theoretical insights from the literature on governance to problematise some of the arguments presented in the research assessment literature, in particular, the description of the UK RAE/REF as a mechanism for top-down control with strongly negati...

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Main Author: Oancea, A
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden 2014
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author Oancea, A
author_facet Oancea, A
author_sort Oancea, A
collection OXFORD
description <p>This paper uses empirical research data and theoretical insights from the literature on governance to problematise some of the arguments presented in the research assessment literature, in particular, the description of the UK RAE/REF as a mechanism for top-down control with strongly negative, blanket-impacts on disciplines, institutions and individual researchers. The concepts of performativity, accountability and governmentality are employed to unpack normative claims about negative impacts and conflicts of values, and empirical claims about the nature of changes in behavior, attitude and interpretation, as reported by the researchers surveyed. The paper argues that inherent, multiple ambivalences of the RAE as a governance technology operate at the transition points between traditional and contemporary forms of governing and account for the mixed picture of its impacts at system, field, institutional, and individual level.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:8439f757-cf49-43a0-b32f-f4e8e6d6180e2022-03-26T21:49:47ZResearch assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impactsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:8439f757-cf49-43a0-b32f-f4e8e6d6180eEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetSpringer Fachmedien Wiesbaden2014Oancea, A<p>This paper uses empirical research data and theoretical insights from the literature on governance to problematise some of the arguments presented in the research assessment literature, in particular, the description of the UK RAE/REF as a mechanism for top-down control with strongly negative, blanket-impacts on disciplines, institutions and individual researchers. The concepts of performativity, accountability and governmentality are employed to unpack normative claims about negative impacts and conflicts of values, and empirical claims about the nature of changes in behavior, attitude and interpretation, as reported by the researchers surveyed. The paper argues that inherent, multiple ambivalences of the RAE as a governance technology operate at the transition points between traditional and contemporary forms of governing and account for the mixed picture of its impacts at system, field, institutional, and individual level.</p>
spellingShingle Oancea, A
Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title_full Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title_fullStr Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title_full_unstemmed Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title_short Research assessment as governance technology in the United Kingdom : findings from a survey of RAE 2008 impacts
title_sort research assessment as governance technology in the united kingdom findings from a survey of rae 2008 impacts
work_keys_str_mv AT oanceaa researchassessmentasgovernancetechnologyintheunitedkingdomfindingsfromasurveyofrae2008impacts