The politics of inclusion: Reflections of policymakers on evidence informed policy in Ireland and South Africa

Context: As many national education systems grapple with long-term and entrenched systems of special education, there is a policy shift towards a human rights approach and changing attitudes towards inclusive education. Legislative reform in special and inclusive education is, therefore, taking place in many countries. The aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, to examine the mechanisms for knowledge exchange in special and inclusive education between academics and government policy officials looking, in particular, at the experience in the Republic of Ireland and South Africa and, secondly, to explore ways in which to improve and enhance relations in the future. Methods: Using qualitative interviews with senior policy officials from Departments of Education and other senior government officials in the Republic of Ireland and South Africa, this paper provides a thematic data analysis highlighting common themes and comparing two North-South national contexts. Findings: The findings of this analysis show that despite the stark differences between the social and economic contexts of Ireland and South Africa, both countries share great challenges in the inclusive education policy making space. The role of politics, and the strong influence of parental and civil society lobbying, in influencing inclusive education policy appears to dominate with policymakers adopting an incremental, piecemeal, approach in which to bring about small-scale changes. Finally, the role of academic research and higher education institutes was limited in both countries with a perceived lack of empirical evidence by policymakers. In the absence of research evidence, policymakers frequently relied on their own value judgements and turned to small scale pilot initiatives to guide decision making. Conclusion: This paper suggests the need for a sustained mechanism for knowledge management and knowledge brokerage in inclusive education policy development. It highlights the need for universities to develop and maintain ‘front of shop’ services so that policymakers can easily identify relevant research expertise and research offices.