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Three Versions of Stoker
Author(s) -
Orr Kevin
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/j.0033-3298.2005.00451.x
Subject(s) - reading (process) , politics , work (physics) , government (linguistics) , sociology , task (project management) , epistemology , political science , law , linguistics , philosophy , management , engineering , economics , mechanical engineering
This article offers an assessment of the writings of Professor Gerry Stoker of Manchester and examines the main themes and messages of his work as it has related to both academics and practitioners. It examines the controversial nature of Stoker's output which has provoked the charge of ’betraying’ local government, and suggests that reading Stoker's work is a more complex task than perhaps his fiercest critics would allow. It argues that there is more than one way in which Stoker's contribution can be interpreted and that there are, in ways which mirror his own pluralistic approach to political science, a number of ’versions of Stoker’ which can be advanced based on a close reading of his work. This article explores three of these.