The Impacts of Neoliberal Discourse and Language in Education; Critical Perspectives on a Rhetoric of Equality, Well-Being, and Justice; First Edition

This edited collection combines quantitative content and critical discourse analysis to reveal a shift in the rhetoric used as part of the neoliberal agenda in education. It does so by analysing, uncovering, and commenting on language as a central tool of education. Focussing on vocabulary, metaphors, and slogans used in strategy documents, advertising, policy, and public discourse, the text illustrates how concepts such as justice, opportunity, well-being, talent, and disadvantage have been hijacked by educational institutes, governments, and universities. Showing how neoliberalism has changed discourses about education and educational policy, these chapters trace issues such as anti-intellectualism, commercialization, meritocracy, and an erasure of racial difference back to a contradictory growth in egalitarian rhetoric. Given its global scope, this volume offers a timely intervention in the studies of neoliberalism and education by developing a holistic vision of how the language of neoliberalism has changed how we think about education. It will prove to be an essential resource for scholars and researchers working at the intersections of education, policymaking, and neoliberalism. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of tables 8 List of contributors 9 1. The Language of Neoliberalism in Education 14 2. Politics by the Numbers 27 3. Playing on Two Tables: Advertising and Science in OECD’s Educational Rhetoric 38 4. Neoliberalism and Laissez-Faire: The Retreat from Naturalism 61 5. Neoliberalism as Political Discourse: The Political Arithmetic of Homo Oeconomicus 82 6. Entrepreneurial Learning and the Merging of Progressive and Economic Ideals 99 7. Hard Work, Growth Mindset, Fluent English: Navigating Neoliberal Logics 113 8. Gauging Neoliberal Discursive Formations in the Russell Group’s Education Strategies and Long-Term Objectives 133 9. Resisting the Iron Cage of ‘The Student Experience’ 154 10. Meritocracy From a Liberating and Equalising Rationality, to an Oppressive and Inequality-Promoting Rationality 168 11. Neoliberal Language, Outcome-Based Education, and Youth-at-risk in Rural Canada 188 12. From Racial Equity to Closing the Achievement Gap: The Discursive “Whiting Out” of Race in Neoliberal Education Policy 204 13. European Neoliberal Discourse and Slovenian Educational Space 219 14. The Language of Neoliberal Education: An Interview with Henry Giroux 236 Index 244 1 The Language of Neoliberalism in Education; 2 Politics by the Numbers1; 3 Playing on Two Tables; 4 Neoliberalism and Laissez-Faire1; 5 Neoliberalism as Political Discourse; 6 Entrepreneurial Learning and the Merging of Progressive and Economic Ideals1; "7 Hard Work,Growth Mindset,Fluent English"; 8 Gauging Neoliberal Discursive Formations in the Russell Group’s Education Strategies and Long-Term Objectives; 9 Resisting the Iron Cage of ‘The Student Experience’; "10 Meritocracy From a Liberating and Equalising Rationality,to an Oppressive and Inequality-Promoting Rationality"; "11 Neoliberal Language,Outcome-Based Education,and Youth-at-risk in Rural Canada"; 12 From Racial Equity to Closing the Achievement Gap; 13 European Neoliberal Discourse and Slovenian Educational Space; 14 The Language of Neoliberal Education 1 The Language of Neoliberalism in Education,2 Politics by the Numbers1,3 Playing on Two Tables,4 Neoliberalism and Laissez-Faire1,5 Neoliberalism as Political Discourse,6 Entrepreneurial Learning and the Merging of Progressive and Economic Ideals1,7 Hard Work, Growth Mindset, Fluent English,8 Gauging Neoliberal Discursive Formations in the Russell Group’s Education Strategies and Long-Term Objectives,9 Resisting the Iron Cage of ‘The Student Experience’,10 Meritocracy From a Liberating and Equalising Rationality, to an Oppressive and Inequality-Promoting Rationality,11 Neoliberal Language, Outcome-Based Education, and Youth-at-risk in Rural Canada,12 From Racial Equity to Closing the Achievement Gap,13 European Neoliberal Discourse and Slovenian Educational Space,14 The Language of Neoliberal Education The Language of neoliberalism in education / Mitja Sardoč -- Politics by the numbers / Theodore M. Porter -- Playing on two tables: advertising and science in OECD's educational rhetoric / Vasco d'Agnese -- Neoliberalism and Laissez-Faire: the retreat from naturalism / Mark Olssen -- Neoliberalism as political discourse: the political arithmetic of Homo Oeconomicus / Michael A. Peters -- Entrepreneurial learning and the merging of progressive and economic ideals / Johan Dahlbeck and Peter Lilja -- Hard work, growth mindset, fluent English: navigating neoliberal logics -- information classification: general / Katy Highet & Alfonso Del Percio -- Gaging neoliberal discursive formations in the Russell Group's Education Strategies & Long-Term Objectives / Rodolfo Leyva -- Resisting the iron cage of 'The Student Experience'/ Sarah Hayes and Petar Jandric -- Meritocracy from a liberating and equalising rationality, to an oppressive and inequality-promoting rationality / Veronika Tašner and Slavko Gaber -- Neoliberal language, outcome-based education, and youth-at-risk in rural Canada / Hyunjung Shin and Angela Csiki -- From racial equity to Closing the Achievement Gap: The Discursive "Whiting Out" of Race in neoliberal education policy / Pamela Rogers -- European neoliberal discourse and Slovenian educational space / Urška Štremfel -- The language of neoliberal education: an interview with Henry Giroux / Mitja Sardoč