Stephen Ball's micro-political theory of school organization is a radical departure from traditional theories. He rejects a prescriptive 'top down' approach and directly addresses the interest and concerns of teachers and current problems facing schools.

Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1 Orthodoxy and Alternative 2 The Politics of Change: Some Case Studies 3 Age and Gender: Rancorous Change 4 The Politics of Leadership 5 Headship: Opposition and Control 6 Doing Headship: Leadership Succession and The Dilemmas of Headship 7 The Politics of Career 8 Women's Careers and the Politics of Gender 9 Resources and Relationships 10 Inside/Out: The School in Political Context. Notes. Appendix. Bibliography. Index.