Who watches the watchmen? Evaluating evaluations of El Sistema

Geoff Baker; Anna Bull; Mark Taylor

doi:10.1017/S0265051718000086

Who watches the watchmen? Evaluating evaluations of El Sistema

Geoff Baker, Anna Bull, Mark Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Within the growing field of publications on El Sistema and Sistema-inspired programmes around the world, a marked divide can be observed between the findings of critical academic studies and commissioned evaluations. Using evaluations of El Sistema in Venezuela and Aotearoa New Zealand as our principal case studies, we argue that this gulf can be explained at least partly by methodological problems in the way that some evaluations are carried out. We conclude that many Sistema evaluations display an alignment with advocacy rather than explorative research, and that the foundation for El Sistema’s claims of social transformation is thus weak.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	255-269
Number of pages	15
Journal	British Journal of Music Education
Volume	35
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051718000086
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2018

Bibliographical note

No embargo.

Access to Document

10.1017/S0265051718000086

https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/who-watches-the-watchmen-evaluating-evaluations-of-el-sistema(39809832-4a83-485e-ad8e-2de9e11dcea6).html

Cite this

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