Resisting Neoliberalism in Education : Local, National and Transnational Perspectives

''Neoliberalism has been widely criticised because of its role in prioritising ‘free markets’ as the optimum way of solving problems and organising society. In the field of education, this leads to an emphasis on the knowledge economy that can reduce both persons and education to economic actors and be detrimental to wider social and ethical goals. Drawing on a range of international contexts across informal, adult, school and university settings, this book provides innovative examples that show how neoliberalism in education can be challenged and changed at the local, national and transnational levels in order to foster a more democratic culture.''-- Site de l'éditeur Front Cover Resisting Neoliberalism in Education Copyright page Dedication Table of contents List of figures, tables and boxes Notes on contributors Foreword: the imperative to resist Introduction: resisting neoliberalism in education Part I Adult education 1 Accountability literacies and conflictual cooperation in community-based organisations for young people in Québec Introduction Literacy studies and accountability literacies Understanding conflictual cooperation Overview of the study and its methodology Accountability literacies at Le Bercail and L’Envol Grant applications Reports AGMs Statistics and electronic information systems Recording and case notes Conclusion References 2 Research, adult literacy and criticality: catalysing hope and dialogic caring Positioning literacy and hope Methodology Transformative teaching and learning and differential space The ripple effect of transformative teaching and learning The role of teachers in facilitating dialogic care Discussion: dialogic caring and hope Conclusions References 3 The employability skills discourse and literacy practitioners Introduction Methodology Practitioners’ views Impact of the new welfare provision External funding Underpinning values Discussion and conclusion References Part II School education 4 Making spaces in professional learning for democratic literacy education in the early years Introduction Context of the study Rationale and theoretical framework for the study Multimodal literacies and pedagogies Methodology Design of professional learning Participants Study methods Findings An open, flexible, pedagogical design: “Have a play and see what happens” (Fireball) Collaborative, unexpected and joyful: “He just jumped in!” (Esther) “I didn’t expect that!” (Esther) “I am seeing the students in a different light” (Fireball) Discussion Acknowledgements Notes References 5 Countering dull pedagogies: the power of teachers and artists working together Dull pedagogies Enter artists An equitable ontological orientation An epistemology of uncertainty Material ethics A redistributive ethos Conclusion Note References 6 Resisting the neoliberal: parent activism in New York State against the corporate reform agenda in schooling Introduction The rise of high-stakes testing and the neoliberal agenda at the state and federal levels The opt-out movement: NYSAPE and LIOO Opt-out successes and the current moment Conclusion Note References 7 Nourishing resistance and healing in dark times: teaching through a Body-Soul Rooted Pedagogy Introduction Historicising the trauma of US schooling Essence of Body-Soul Rooted Pedagogy Six tenets: an overview Tenet six: enacting resistance as hope, healing and well-being Manifestations of tenet six in the classroom Conclusion Implications Acknowledgements Notes References Part III Higher education 8 Everyday activism: challenging neoliberalism for radical library workers in English higher education Introduction Methods Neoliberalisation, the library and the enclosure of educational potential The challenge for radical librarians: the RLC References 9 Strategies of resistance in the neoliberal university Introduction What is ‘the neoliberal university’ and why might it provoke resistance? What might resistance look like? Evidence of resistance from our study Conclusions and speculations Note References 10 Moving against and beyond neoliberal higher education in Ireland Introduction Taking the measure of neoliberalism The neoliberalisation of Irish society and education Everyday and political resistance to neoliberal HE HE staff: disciplinary passions, critical values and workplace organising Student lives and student activism Troubling the boundaries: re-imagining the university Building alliances and emergent possibilities Acknowledgements References Part IV National perspectives 11 The appropriation of cultural, economic and normative frames of reference for adult education: an Italian perspective Introduction Frames of reference and the interstices of resistance An illustrative case of resistance Popular universities and third-age universities The cultural, normative and economic frames of reference Interstices for resistance for popular adult education Conclusion Notes References 12 The marginalisation of popular education: 50 years of Danish adult education policy Introduction Three functions of adult education: qualification, socialisation and subjectification Methodology Balancing the three functions of adult education policy The ‘popular education’ mark of the Social Liberal Party The transitional phase: increased focus on qualification for the labour market Adult education in between popular education and human capital Qualification, qualification, qualification: adult training for the labour market Resisting the neoliberal discourse of adult education Notes References 13 Adult basic education in Australia: in need of a new song sheet? Introduction Trapped in a vacuum Seeing the future through a critical analysis of our past From a community of practice to fragmentation in an alien land Legitimation as a progressive educational sector Filling the policy vacuum ‘Knotworking’ and the emergence of new communities A new national policy? In search of a new tune? Conclusion References Part V Transnational perspectives 14 Education policy and the European Semester: challenging soft power in hard times Introduction Understanding the European Semester The European Semester and education policy Europe, education policy and the European Semester: identifying progressive possibilities Conclusion: opening up the European Semester Notes References 15 Rethinking adult education for active participatory citizenship and resistance in Europe Introduction Adult education for empowerment and resistance and active participatory citizenship Vulnerability: an issue for adult educators as resistance mediators Conclusion Notes References 16 Leaving no one behind: bringing equity and inclusion back into education Introduction Different conceptualisations of equity and inclusion Equity as a utilitarian construction Equity and social justice Equity and inclusion as guiding principles of SDG 4 – Education 2030 Participatory policymaking Tracking progress in equity and inclusion Funding education equitably Conclusion References Afterword: resources of hope Reference Index

Neoliberalism has been widely criticised because of its role in prioritising 'free markets' as the optimum way of solving problems and organising society. In the field of education, this leads to an emphasis on the knowledge economy to the detriment of wider social and ethical goals in ways that reduce both persons and education to solely economic actors. Drawing on an international range of contexts across informal, adult, school and university settings, this book provides innovative examples that show how neoliberalism in education can be challenged and changed at the local, national and transnational levels in order to foster a more democratic culture.

Neoliberalism is having a detrimental impact on wider social and ethical goals in the field of education. Using an international range of contexts, this book provides practical examples that demonstrate how neoliberalism can be challenged and changed at the local, national and transnational level.