Recruiting Countries to Standardized Surveys: The Case of the IEA Civics Study

This article examines how the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) recruited and retained countries for its Civic Education Study, conducted from the late 1960s to 1975. Drawing on correspondence, minutes, memoranda, test drafts, and other archival materials, it shows that international assessments depend not only on technical expertise but also on the willingness of countries to accept common standards. The Civics Study posed particular challenges because civic education was closely tied to national cultures, political systems, and conceptions of citizenship. Several countries withdrew from the project, while others criticized its test items and methods. The article argues that these conflicts illuminate the practical work involved in constructing international comparability. The study thus reveals how commensuration depended on continuous negotiation over what could—and could not—be meaningfully compared across countries.