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The purpose of this book is to show the dynamics of policy development in Turkish early education, which is a highly complex process because it is affected not only by the European Union (EU), but also by political pressures coming from the government, Turkey´s cultural, economic, and historical background, its media, its political structure, and other governmental or nongovernmental organizations. The book focuses on how the General Directorate Office negotiates and articulates policies in early childhood education in response to a range of pressures emerging from modernity, globalization, and EU regulations. The data in the book were collected through multiple methods including interviews, document analysis, and observations in the actual context of the office. The use of multiple methods aided triangulation and a more inclusive understanding of the case presented. Conclusion highlights the directorate as moderator of pressures coming from different agencies. These outside pressures, especially the EU, play important roles in the policy development process by affecting the office´s goals, plans, standards, and even its operating definitions.

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Dr.Ozturk was born in Tavsanli-Kutahya, in Turkey, in 1978. He received his B.A. from Karadeniz Tech. University, his M.A. from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently involved in several research projects and teaches various early childhood education courses.

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