In Spin Cycle, Henig draws on extensive interviews with researchers, journalists, and funding agencies on both sides of the debate, as well as data on federal and foundation grants and a close analysis of media coverage, to explore how social science research is “spun” in the public sphere. Henig looks at the consequences of a highly controversial New York Times article that cited evidence of poor test performance among charter school students. The front-page story, based on research findings released by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), sparked an explosive debate over the effectiveness of charter schools. In the ensuing drama, reputable scholars from both ends of the political spectrum launched charges and counter-charges over the research methodology and the implications of the data. Henig uses this political tug-of-war to illustrate broader problems relating to social science: of what relevance is supposedly non-partisan research when findings are wielded as political weapons on both sides of the debate?

In the case of charter schools, Henig shows that despite the political posturing in public forums, many researchers have since revised their stances according to accumulating new evidence and have begun to find common ground. Over time, those who favored charter schools were willing to admit that in many instances charter schools are no better than traditional schools. And many who were initially alarmed by the potentially destructive consequences of school choice admitted that their fears were overblown. The core problem, Henig concludes, has less to do with research itself than with the way it is often sensationalized or misrepresented in public discourse.

Despite considerable frustration over the politicization of research, until now there has been no systematic analysis of the problem. Spin Cycle provides an engaging narrative and instructive guide with far-reaching implications for the way research is presented to the public. Ultimately, Henig argues, we can do a better job of bringing research to bear on the task of social betterment.

About the Author:

Jeffrey R. Henig is professor of political science and education at Teachers College and professor of political science at Columbia University.

Advance Praise:

"The question of how and why research influences public policy is a pressing one in a free nation. Jeffrey R. Henig's engrossing text will prove invaluable for those seeking to understand how researchers, reporters, and funders influence the production and use of research in education policy today. Spin Cycle does not shrink from the complexity of the relationship among scholar, advocates, journalists, and funders, but offers a nuanced examination of the tensions, players, and politics at work."

—Frederick M. Hess, director of education policy studies, the American Enterprise Institute

"Jeffrey R. Henig pulls the thorn of ideology out of the debate on charter school research. He shows that weak, advocacy-oriented research might get immediate headlines, but balanced and rigorous studies have greater influence on policy. "

—Paul T. Hill, John and Marguerite Corbally Professor and director, Center on Reinventing Public Education, Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington

"Focusing on debates about public school choice, Jeffrey R. Henig asks whether, when, and how social science has informed public debate and public policy. Modest reforms could enhance the ways education research is supported, carried out, and reported, he concludes, in the process enhancing the usefulness of social science to policy makers. Spin Cycle is a balanced, and yet optimistic, analysis of a crucial question. It deserves a wide audience and careful consideration by public officials, foundation officers, scholars, and journalists."

—Ellen Condliffe Lagemann, director, Bard Center for Education and Democracy, Bard College at Simon's Rock, and Charles Warren Professor of the History of American Education, Harvard University