Neoliberalism and Early Childhood Education: Markets, Imaginaries and Governance

by Guy Roberts-Holmes, Peter Moss (Contributor)

"Neoliberalism, with its worldview of competition, choice and calculation, its economisation of everything, and its will to govern has 'sunk its roots deep' into Early Childhood Education and Care. This book considers its deeply detrimental impacts upon young children, families, settings and the workforce. Through an exploration of possibilities for resistance and refusal, and reflection on the significance of the Coronavirus pandemic, Roberts-Holmes and Moss provide hope that neoliberalism's current hegemony can be successfully contested. The book provides a critical introduction to neoliberalism and three closely related and influential concepts - Human Capital theory, Public Choice theory and New Public Management - as well as an overview of the impact of neoliberalism on compulsory education, in particular through the Global Education Reform Movement. With its main focus on Early Childhood Education and Care, this book argues that while neoliberalism is a very powerful force, it is 'deeply problematic, eminently resistible and eventually replaceable' - and that there are indeed alternatives. Neoliberalism and Early Childhood Education is an insightful supplement to the studies of students and researchers in Early Childhood Education and Sociology of Education, and is also highly relevant to policy makers"--

Unknown Binding

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Keopu Reelitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely dense. I had to pick it up and put it down many times. But there's some reward in it. It has really helped me reframe the ways I think and talk about the reforms I advocate for in my professional life. I will say there is no original research here. It is essentially bringing together a bunch of other studies from different countries. It was very helpful to get the lay of the land but there were often times when I wanted to just go to the source rather than keep reading a certain section. Another thing that was noticeably missing was race and subjugation. There is little discussion of the ways neoliberalism exacerbates racism and subjugation in ECE. And in solutions, there was a lot of focus on climate change but not racial justice in the U.S. and elsewhere. That seemed a glaring omission.

[Elizabeth Spaulding · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be a required read for educators. It will leave you unsettled and likely passed off—as we should be.