Finn, Philip
(2015)
Governmentality and Education: How is knowledge
production in Irish secondary education complicit in
fostering neo-liberal subjectivities.
Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
Abstract
Education maintains a unique position in contemporary societies due to an often
unquestioned assumption regarding its inherent worth and value. Education is often
perceived as a vehicle for social mobility and valued for its fostering of human well-being.
This thesis problematises the taken for granted valorisation of education through an
examination of secondary education in Ireland. The work takes as its central question how is
knowledge production in Irish secondary education complicit in shaping neo-liberal
subjectivities? In doing so it draws on the work of Michel Foucault in understanding how
power relations shape subjectivities through acceptance of cultural norms and values. It
argues that Irish secondary education is guided by human capital theory which engenders an
instrumental understanding of education. Such an understanding elicits an 'entrepreneurial
self' as individuals view education and knowledge as an external acquisition for selfinvestment
in pursuit of obtaining desirable job. Resistance does exist through criticisms of
the dominance of rote learning, and through engaging in some interactive and participartory
learning. However, this is ultimately undermined by the centrality of the Leaving Certificate
examinations which acts as a mediator of educational success in Ireland.
| Item Type: |
Thesis
(Masters)
|
| Additional Information: |
Submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the MA in
Community Education, Equality and Social Activism |
| Keywords: |
Governmentality and Education; knowledge production; Irish secondary education; neo-liberal subjectivities; MA in
Community Education, Equality and Social Activism; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Adult and Community Education |
| Item ID: |
12243 |
| Depositing User: |
IR eTheses
|
| Date Deposited: |
21 Jan 2020 10:42 |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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