Evans, Matthew (2020) Navigating the neoliberal university: reflecting on teaching practice as a teacher-researcher-trade unionist. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 41 (4). pp. 574-590. ISSN 0142-5692

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Abstract

This article reflects upon the neoliberalisation of higher education and its effects on teaching practice. It is argued that a neoliberal discourse of teaching excellence has the effect of working against, and potentially undermining, the emancipatory potential of higher education. The article reflects upon attempts to navigate disciplinary power in the neoliberal university and considers whether critical, emancipatory praxis is possible or if complicity in, and co-option by, neoliberalism is inevitable. Ultimately, it is concluded that individual teachers have some scope to pursue approaches which counter neoliberal dominance but that this is heavily constrained. A broader, collective, project will therefore be necessary if alternative (critical, emancipatory) visions of teaching and learning in higher education are to successfully challenge neoliberal hegemony and the negative effects of this in the academy.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Higher education, trade unionism, teaching, neoliberalism, disciplinary power, resistance
Schools and Departments:	School of Law, Politics and Sociology > Law
SWORD Depositor:	Mx Elements Account
Depositing User:	Mx Elements Account
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2020 09:17
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2021 01:00
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/90568

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