Re-Thinking Normative Democracy and the Political Economy of Education

Autor/in	Carr, Paul R.
Titel	Re-Thinking Normative Democracy and the Political Economy of Education
Quelle	In: Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 8 (2010) 1, S.1-40 (40 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1740-2743
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Democracy; Education; Critical Theory; Power Structure; Politics; Political Attitudes; Economic Development; Poverty; Television; Foreign Countries; Developing Nations; Patriotism; Haiti + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Demokratie; Bildung; Erziehung; Kritische Theorie; Politik; Political attitude; Politische Einstellung; Wirtschaftsentwicklung; Armut; Fernsehen; Fernsehtechnik; Ausland; Developing country; Developing countries; Entwicklungsland; Patriotismus
Abstract	Normative thinking around democracy often emphasizes the supremacy of electoral politics, underplaying the salience of education as a defining feature to produce a more meaningful, engaged, inclusive form of democracy. Critical pedagogy can be an extremely useful, illuminating and transformative means and process of deconstructing how democracy is conceptualized, understood and developed. Critiquing the epistemological, experiential and hegemonic predispositions, manifestations, and intricate thinking that underpin inequitable power relations is fundamental to achieving a more politically literate and liberated populace. Being humble enough to acknowledge that one's epistemological framework may limit his/her understanding of democracy--along with a diagnosis of mainstream and normative assessments that are constrained by a tepid educational experienced dominated by a neo-liberal political economy--is fundamental to re-formulating how democracy is understood, and, more important, how it may become more empowering for marginalized groups and all peoples. This paper explores a re-conceptualization of democracy, premised on a more critical and engaged education, questioning and problematizing how power works. In outlining "econ-ocracy" and various conditions, issues and determinants related to democracy, the author provides some examples (American Idol, Haiti, categorization of democracies, development assistance to the South, and support for unsavory regimes) of how facile interpretations of democracy have had a nefarious effect on more structurally relevant concerns related to power. (Contains 7 figures and 24 notes.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Institute for Education Policy Studies. University of Northampton, School of Education, Boughton Green Road, Northampton, NN2 7AL, UK. Tel: +44-1273-270943; e-mail: ieps@ieps.org.uk; Web site: http://www.jceps.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10