Neo-liberalism and managerialisation of education in England and Wales and its impacts on equality,education,workers’ rights and conditions,critical thought and democracy.

Hill, Dave, Cooper, Charlie. and Beckmann, Andrea (2009) Neo-liberalism and managerialisation of education in England and Wales and its impacts on equality,education,workers’ rights and conditions,critical thought and democracy. In: Theory and Evidence in European Educational Research, EERA Conference 2009, 28 - 30 September 2009, Vienna. . [Conference or Workshop Item]

Abstract

This paper explores the consequences of the neo-liberalisation of 'education' that occurred in many countries around the world. In a context in which national and international levers are promoting privatisation, commercialisation, marketisation, decentralisation, deregulation as well as ‘new public management’ (business management methods) policies, 'education' is increasingly shifting in its meaning and experiences of practice. These changes, as reflected within the British education system, introduced processes of surveillance under the name of 'quality assurance' which have profoundly detrimental impacts for the educated and as well as their educationalists, and thus ultimately society. In this context the 'educated subject' is constructed a priori within the education system's specific discourse into which human beings labelled 'the threshold student' have to fit in. This leads, amongst other problematic outcomes, to the increasing production of uncritical thinkers, compliant to the needs of the market, as well as fostering the increasing erosion of the professional autonomy of educators. Neo-liberalisation is clearly intensifying 'race', 'gender', and class-based hierarchies, as well as diminishing democratic control of schools and other educational institutions. This paper will also try to explore the dimensions and potential forms of resistance to this dis-enchanting status quo.

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