ABSTRACT
Exploration of NPM to discern its stance on social justice offers contrasting perspectives. Social justice may be thought largely absent from NPM thinking. If and where its signs appear, these are rare occurrences, like a comet’s passing, intriguing but transitory. Alternatively, social justice may be felt capable of delivery only where public provision is demonstrably efficient and users’ voices heard. Thus, social justice is a star in the NPM firmament, set to shine more brightly as NPM tenets take increased hold. This chapter explores the extent to which social justice and equity concerns and outcomes are present or absent in NPM thinking and practice. It is underpinned by the assumption that the social justice record of NPM deserves scrutiny.
