Schooling in the Age of Austerity: Urban Education and the Struggle for Democratic Life (New Frontiers in Education, Culture, and Politics)

Through a case study in a Chicago public school, Means demonstrates that, despite the fragmentation of human security in low-income and racially segregated public schools, there exist positive social relations, knowledge, and desire for change that can be built upon to promote more secure and equitable democratic futures for young people. Schooling in the Age of Austerity details how neoliberal privatization, austerity, and militarized policing are subverting the educative and human development capacity of urban public schools. Through a richly textured case study in a public high school in the city of Chicago, Means foregrounds the voices of educators and youth to create a vivid three-dimensional account of systemic violence and its devastating impact on public education and the security of young people at the margins of the new urban geography. Ultimately, despite the current challenges facing urban schools and communities, Means demonstrates that there exists a strong desire for change that can be built upon and nurtured in order to develop more ethical and restorative approaches to urban education and more equitable and democratic futures for young people Schooling In The Age Of Austerity Examines The Fragmentation Of Human Security In Urban Public Schools And Lives Of Young People Amid Escalating Global Economic Volatility And Domestic Social Polarization. In Accessible And Vivid Language, Means Confronts How Neoliberal Restructuring And Crisis Have Contributed To The Fraying Of The Urban Social Contract, Processes Of Violence And Criminalization, And The Erosion Of The Educative And Human Development Capacity Of Urban Public Schools Serving Historically Disadvantaged And Marginalized Communities. Through An Ethnographic Case Study In A Low-income And Racially Segregated Neighborhood And Public High School In The City Of Chicago, Means Highlights The Voices And Experiences Of Educators And Young People Living And Working At The Margins Of The New Urban Geography. Despite Precarious Conditions, Means Demonstrates That There Exists A Wealth Of Positive Social Relations, Knowledge, And Desire For Change Among Educators, Youth, And Communities That Can Be Built Upon And Nurtured In Order To Develop More Ethical And Restorative Approaches To Urban Schooling And For Promoting More Secure And Equitable Democratic Futures For Young People-- Introduction : Schooling In A Time Of Crisis And Austerity -- Neoliberal Schooling And The Politics Of Security. Securing Precarious Urban Futures -- Chicago And The Management Of Social Research -- Narratives Of Enclosure And Possibility. Learning By Dispossession : Objective Violence And Educational Failure -- Criminality Or Sociality : A Zero Sum Game? -- Searching For Human Security And Citizenship -- Conclusion : Public Schooling For A Common Security. Alexander J. Means. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 165-174) And Index. "Schooling in the Age of Austerity examines the fragmentation of human security in urban public schools and lives of young people amid escalating global economic volatility and domestic social polarization. In accessible and vivid language, Means confronts how neoliberal restructuring and crisis have contributed to the fraying of the urban social contract, processes of violence and criminalization, and the erosion of the educative and human development capacity of urban public schools serving historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities. Through an ethnographic case study in a low-income and racially segregated neighborhood and public high school in the city of Chicago, Means highlights the voices and experiences of educators and young people living and working at the margins of the new urban geography. Despite precarious conditions, Means demonstrates that there exists a wealth of positive social relations, knowledge, and desire for change among educators, youth, and communities that can be built upon and nurtured in order to develop more ethical and restorative approaches to urban schooling and for promoting more secure and equitable democratic futures for young people"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-vii Introduction: Schooling in a Time of Crisis and Austerity....Pages 1-12 Front Matter....Pages 13-13 Securing Precarious Urban Futures....Pages 15-35 Chicago and the Management of Social Research....Pages 37-51 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 Learning by Dispossession: Objective Violence and Educational Failure....Pages 55-88 Criminality or Sociality: A Zero Sum Game?....Pages 89-117 Searching for Human Security and Citizenship....Pages 119-144 Conclusion: Public Schooling for a Common Security....Pages 145-155 Back Matter....Pages 157-186