Including ideology

Ellen Brantlinger's paper, Using ideology: cases of non-recognition of the politics of research and practice in special education (Brantlinger, E. 1997. Using ideology: Cases of nonrecognition of the politics of research and practice in special education. Review of Educational Research 67, no. 4: 425-59), was of considerable significance in drawing attention to the central role of ideology in research in special and inclusive education. Her powerful critique is re-examined in this paper, together with some reflections on the field and on her own work within it. These reflections were obtained in an interview with Ellen for a book (Allan, J., and R. Slee 2008. Doing inclusive education research. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense). The paper concludes with a set of propositions, drawing on Ellen's scholarship, which provide guidance on how to examine the work of ideology.