Tarabini, AinaCurrán Fábregas, MartaLópez Montes, AlejandroParcerisa, Lluis2024-02-012024-02-012016Tarabini, A., Curran, M., Montes, A.& Parcerisa, L. (2018). The politics of educational success: a realist evaluation of early school leaving policies in Catalonia (Spain). Critical Studies in Education, 59(3), 364-381, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2016.11978421750-849510.1080/17508487.2016.1197842https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/97588This article is an outcome of the following research project: ‘Early school leaving in Spain. An analysis of young people’s educational decisions, motivations and strategies’, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for the period 2012-2016 (reference: CSO2012-31575) (http://abjoves.es).The objective of the article is to examine what is ‘taken for granted’ in the policies designed to combat Early School Leaving (ESL) in Catalonia, identifying their implicit ontologies, causal assumptions and logics of action. In order to do so, the realist evaluation is applied. Specifically, this methodology has been applied to compare the discourses, priorities and policies of two key agents in defining and implementing policies to combat ESL in Catalonia: the Catalan Department for Education (Regional Government body) and the Barcelona Education Consortium (Local Government body). In each case, systematic documentary analysis has been conducted as well as in-depth interviews with educational experts and policymakers. The results of the analysis allows opening up the black box of the political priorities defined by this two political agents, identifying two highly controversial logics to understand educational success and to consequently address ESL.engjournal article1750-8487https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2016.1197842https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rcse20https://produccioncientifica.ucm.es/documentos/628008473333e458234ba962https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84978977115&origin=resultslisthttp://hdl.handle.net/2445/192563restricted access37.01437.015.437.03537.015.31:316.42371.21437.01337.012371.337-056.2/.3Comparative and international educationEducational policyInequality/social exclusion in educationQualitative research methodsSocial classPolítica educativaTrastornos del aprendizajeEducación socialSociología de la educación (Educación)5802.02 Organización y Dirección de las Instituciones Educativas5802 Organización y Planificación de la Educación5801.07 Métodos Pedagógicos