Neo-liberalism, Globalization, And Human Capital Learning

This book reviews the political shift toward neo-liberal ideology and explores its tremendous impact on education. It explains with striking clarity the causes precipitating this major ideological shift and considers the potential threats neo-liberal ideology, with its focus on human capital preparation and instrumental learning, poses to public education in a democracy.

The authors map out in careful detail the theoretical foundations of democratic citizenship by asking the question: What does it mean to learn and live in a democracy and what responsibilities, capacities and knowledge does a citizen need to fulfill these requirements? The book explains with tremendous urgency how present forms of human capital and career education interfere with these democratic requirements. The authors describe the assumptions and teaching practices supporting human capital learning, examine related international policy documents, and illustrate why these notions are contradictory to education in a pluralistic democracy.

The authors employ ideas from progressivism, liberal education and critical theory to support democratic learning. The book outlines in an accessible fashion a number of political, academic and intellectual strategies that educators might pursue to reclaim education for democratic citizenship. Finally, the authors explore the possible role of teachers and teacher educators as public intellectuals who actively engage political policy, arguing that if students are expected to fulfill the responsibilities of democratic citizenship, teachers and other educators must be prepared to model the necessary characteristics.