Civil Society or Shadow State? builds on the precursor Ablex publication, Policy as Practice by Sutton and Levinson (2001). The various chapters in this book illustrate the complex negotiations of major educational policy stakeholders at all levels from the international to the local and individual, as they document the need to take into account historical and structural factors as well as local cultural patterns in understanding whether educational reforms will be achieved. They point out areas for fruitful collaboration between the international donor community, the State, NGOs, and grassroots organizations, as well as what may be reasonably expected of each while also indicating areas of potential conflict and possible pitfalls based on unrealistic goals.