Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty
This paper argues that the neoliberal consensus about education finance has broken down due to growing economic inequality. First, I use a comparative historical analysis of political alliances to examine patterns of world trade and nations’ policies for economic and educational development since Wo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/5/500 |
| _version_ | 1827597033343549440 |
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| author | Edward P. St. John |
| author_facet | Edward P. St. John |
| author_sort | Edward P. St. John |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper argues that the neoliberal consensus about education finance has broken down due to growing economic inequality. First, I use a comparative historical analysis of political alliances to examine patterns of world trade and nations’ policies for economic and educational development since World War II. The United States emphasized STEM-collegiate preparation for all students, while most countries continued the dual emphasis on technical-tertiary and higher education. Educational policy in the US and Pacific region also shifted towards a reliance on markets and student loans resulting in worsening economic inequality in access. Nations with dual technical and academic pathways in secondary and postsecondary education systems expand college enrollment rates more rapidly than the US. They also experience class conflict between the working–middle class and the new technological elite. Next, I examine how education policy shifted from national planning aligned with public funding to market-based incentives for institutional development, further exposing gaps in opportunity within nations. Finally, recognizing the variations in systemic causes of inequality, I argue that governments, education agencies, and civic activists can best promote equity by organizing to address barriers to opportunity for groups left behind in the wake of withering neoliberal education policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:23:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f546fa6e5244913979ecca405b1fbaa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:23:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f546fa6e5244913979ecca405b1fbaa2023-12-03T15:06:00ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022023-05-0113550010.3390/educsci13050500Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of UncertaintyEdward P. St. John0Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAThis paper argues that the neoliberal consensus about education finance has broken down due to growing economic inequality. First, I use a comparative historical analysis of political alliances to examine patterns of world trade and nations’ policies for economic and educational development since World War II. The United States emphasized STEM-collegiate preparation for all students, while most countries continued the dual emphasis on technical-tertiary and higher education. Educational policy in the US and Pacific region also shifted towards a reliance on markets and student loans resulting in worsening economic inequality in access. Nations with dual technical and academic pathways in secondary and postsecondary education systems expand college enrollment rates more rapidly than the US. They also experience class conflict between the working–middle class and the new technological elite. Next, I examine how education policy shifted from national planning aligned with public funding to market-based incentives for institutional development, further exposing gaps in opportunity within nations. Finally, recognizing the variations in systemic causes of inequality, I argue that governments, education agencies, and civic activists can best promote equity by organizing to address barriers to opportunity for groups left behind in the wake of withering neoliberal education policy.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/5/500neoliberalismeducation developmenttrade allianceseconomic developmenthuman capitalcultural capital |
| spellingShingle | Edward P. St. John Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty Education Sciences neoliberalism education development trade alliances economic development human capital cultural capital |
| title | Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty |
| title_full | Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty |
| title_fullStr | Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty |
| title_full_unstemmed | Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty |
| title_short | Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty |
| title_sort | higher education in post neoliberal times building human capabilities in the emergent period of uncertainty |
| topic | neoliberalism education development trade alliances economic development human capital cultural capital |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/5/500 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT edwardpstjohn highereducationinpostneoliberaltimesbuildinghumancapabilitiesintheemergentperiodofuncertainty |