This book explores and theorizes the complexity of network governance in school turnaround in China, drawing on an interpretive qualitative paradigm.

School turnaround provides a useful perspective for understanding network governance in education, as it involves interactions among multiple parties of actors all aiming to improve school quality. Based on a case study of three school turnaround networks in Shanghai, this book analyzes the complexity of interactions among schools, local governments, and third-party actors. The study goes beyond a simple description of the plurality of state and non-state actors involved in education. It places particular emphasis on the power of network actors and the power dynamics among them that shape their interactions and positions in educational governance. The power perspective adopted in this book provides insight into which network actors matter in education governance and how network governance should be applied in education, particularly in school turnaround.

The book will appeal to scholars and students of education and will be particularly useful to policymakers and practitioners interested in educational administration, management and leadership, educational improvement, and Chinese education.