Performativity, Politics and Education: From Policy to Philosophy

· BRILL
Ebook
154
Pages
Tools

About this ebook

This book provides a distinctive perspective on some of the ways in which performativity, as an expression of neoliberal and managerialist thinking, ‘works’ in specific policy contexts. It pays particular attention to higher education and considers how the logic of performativity reconfigures our sense of what it means to engage in worthwhile research, what it means to be ‘well’, and, ultimately, what it means to be human.

Philosophy of education, conceived not just as a domain of scholarly activity but as a way of life, rubs against the grain of performativity. In a performance-driven world, efficiency, measurability and predictability are all important. A philosophical life in education is often unpredictable, uncertain and ‘inefficient’; it creates a kind of intellectual restlessness that can never be fully satisfied.

Performativity, Politics and Education: From Policy to Philosophy suggests that the current obsession with productivity, performance and prosperity is misguided. It argues that policies and practices underpinned by the principle of performativity are dehumanising and offers an alternative approach: an orientation to education grounded in a philosophy of hope and underpinned by a commitment to collegiality, constructive critique and ongoing dialogue.
This book provides a distinctive perspective on some of the ways in which performativity, as an expression of neoliberal and managerialist thinking, ‘works’ in specific policy contexts. It pays particular attention to higher education and considers how the logic of performativity reconfigures our...

Discover more

About the author

Peter Roberts is Professor of Education and Director of the Educational Theory, Policy and Practice Research Hub at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His primary areas of scholarship are philosophy of education and educational policy studies.
Peter Roberts is Professor of Education and Director of the Educational Theory, Policy and Practice Research Hub at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His primary areas of scholarship are philosophy of education and educational policy studies.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.