New Books in Sociology Michael Rowe, "Researching Street-Level Bureaucracy: Bringing Out the Interpretive Dimensions" (Routledge, 2024)
Oct 1, 2025
Mike Rowe, a senior lecturer in public sector management at the University of Liverpool, discusses his groundbreaking research on street-level bureaucracy. He explores how contextual factors shape the discretion of frontline workers, especially in police and social welfare roles. Rowe highlights the value of interpretive methodologies and ethnographic approaches in understanding decision-making patterns. He also reflects on his unique experiences transitioning from practitioner to researcher, revealing insights into bureaucratic practices in various global contexts.
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Policy Becomes Real At The Street Level
- Street-level bureaucrats enact policy at the point of contact by interpreting rules and responding to clients.
- Policy becomes real when frontline workers apply discretion within constraints and resources.
Discretion Is Bounded By Context
- Discretion is not pure individual free will; it is shaped by organizational constraints and expectations.
- Lipsky emphasised contexts like resources, priorities, and pressures that produce bounded discretion.
Choices On A Busy Clerks' Desk
- Rowe recounts working in a Department of Social Security office processing claims under tight rules.
- Clerks made small prioritisation choices that meaningfully affected clients, showing discretion in practice.
