Interest+Group+Theory

Title: Interest Group Theory

Submitted by: Bruce Cooper Alternate Names: Pressure Group Theory, Interest Group Coalition Theory, Political Power Groups

Education politics can be understood as complex, changing systems of interest groups, forms of pluralism at work, that fuss and tumble among themselves, as they redefine the issues and work to align with other sympathetic groups, as they often fight for the policies and programs they favor. In essence, Bentley asserts, “There is no way to get hold of one group interest except in terms of others” (1908, p. 214). It is also interesting to note the scale and “location” of these groups and coalitions, as education has moved from being primarily a local-community activity, to a state function under state laws, and now toward a national interest group effort (see Cibulka, 2001), with No Child Left Behind and other federal programs for the poor, the special needs, and non-English speaking students. Thus, the interest group structures change; their programs change; and their interactions change. Small local interest groups give way to larger regional and national political forces, as education becomes a national(ized) and international activity ­ something that Bentley would have understood from his century-old perspective.


 * References: **

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