Overview
- Explores the impact of neoliberalisation on community education
- Argues that community education has been negatively reshaped by forces of labour-market activation, vocationalisation and marketisation
- Sets out an in-depth study of community education practices and policies in Ireland
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About this book
This book explores community education in Ireland and argues that neoliberalism has had a profound effect on community education. Rather than retain its foundational characteristics of collective, equality-led principles and practices, community education has lost much of its independence and has been reshaped into spaces characterised by labour-market activation, vocationalisation and marketisation. These changes have often, though not always, run contrary to the wishes of those involved in community education creating enormous tensions for practitioners, course providers and participants.
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Keywords
Table of contents (8 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Community Education, Philosophies and Practices
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Front Matter
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The Neoliberalisation of Community Education
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Reviews
“Fitzsimons has expertly documented the damage wrought by neoliberal policies on the collective, equality-based ethos of community education in Ireland. Her groundbreaking, accessible analysis is essential reading for those interested in community education and its future. In Ireland and abroad, students, educators, and policymakers will benefit from paying it close attention.” (Thomas Murray, Adult Education Quarterly, Vol. 68 (3), 2018)
“It will certainly appeal to a wide audience and, I suspect, especially practitioners, helping those engaged in community education reflect critically on their practice and consider the opportunities for broadening the field and reinvigorating community education and its potential. … It is a valuable contribution to the theory and practice of community education and, arguably succeeds in it stated aim of ‘nudging practitioners towards a more radical way of working.’” (Louise O’Meara, The Adult Learner, 2017)
“It will certainly appeal to a wide audience and, I suspect, especially practitioners, helping those engaged in community education reflect critically on their practice and consider the opportunities for broadening the field and reinvigorating community education and its potential. … It is a valuable contribution to the theory and practice of community education and, arguably succeeds in it stated aim of ‘nudging practitioners towards a more radical way of working.’” (Louise O’Meara, The Adult Learner, 2017)
“This book is based in the tradition of critical pedagogy and gives voice to practitioners by drawing on empirical research with over 220 community educators to assert an anti-neoliberal perspective. It makes an important contribution to the field of community education through engaging with current debates that, although they are focused on Ireland, have strong relevance in wider international contexts. Throughout the book readers are encouraged to engage in problem-posing, dialogical, approaches and to understand the importance of collectivism and social justice.” (Lyn Tett, Professor of Community Education, University of Huddersfield, UK)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Camilla Fitzsimons is Lecturer in Adult and Community Education at Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland. She began working as a community educator in the 1990s and has worked with many groups including women’s groups, intercultural groups, housing rights groups and community development and Leadership groups.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Community Education and Neoliberalism
Book Subtitle: Philosophies, Practices and Policies in Ireland
Authors: Camilla Fitzsimons
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45937-0
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Education, Education (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-45936-3Published: 08 March 2017
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-83403-0Published: 09 September 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-45937-0Published: 01 March 2017
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVIII, 287
Number of Illustrations: 16 b/w illustrations
Topics: Lifelong Learning/Adult Education, Educational Policy and Politics, Administration, Organization and Leadership, Curriculum Studies, Education Policy