Peter Roberts (2004): Neo-liberalism, Knowledge and Inclusiveness Forms of knowledge and the language of politics

„Social Laboratory“ - long tradition in innovations in welfare Economic decline in the 70s (UK turning away) OECD „Model State“ in speed of neo-liberal reform process (Reduced incomes, withdrawal of state services, radical lowering of taxes Results: growing unemployment (e.g. 40% of Maori population lost jobs btw. '87 and '91), welfare recipients tripled btw. '81 and '92

New Zealand: from Welfare Innovation to Global Competition

Knowledge Economy in NZ

• After 15 years of neo-liberal reform, NZ lagged behind in economic, social, educational development (OECD)

• New strategy: Socio-technical innovation, research, skill development, „networked lifestyle“

• Built on a traditional narrative of strong community with shared interests and goals („kahikatea“)

Analysis through Postmodern Lens

• LYOTARD:The Postmodern Condition

(1984) Focus: Research & Education

• Critical of meta- or grand

narratives, contextuality of knowledge

• Strongly oppposing universalist claims

of Enlightenment and Science

• First mention of postmodernism in philosophical terms: "Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodern as incredulity towards metanarratives"

Tools of Analysis: Forms of Knowledge

• Narrative Knowledge- traditional knowledge for which legitimation is

considered unnecessary

• Scientific Knowledge- legitimised by pragmatic criteria internal to itself, no

transcendental meta-narrative (unlike religion, ethics)

- in the absence of these, struggle for wealth and power structure choices

- knowledge->innovation->wealth->investment in research for ->innovation (drive to optimize the system: performativity)

• Market Knowledge (introduced by Roberts)

- now dominant over both other forms

- draws on other forms in sustaining itself

- coherent philosophical framework and concept structure (client-provider, input-output etc etc)

Case Studies (NZ)

• Foresight Project: „run by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology in New Zealand during 1998/99, focused on exploiting knowledge for our future prosperity and well-being, and our development as a knowledge society“

• Tertiary Education Strategy:long-term strategic priorities for tertiary education (2000-2002), aimed at

Example for Analysis 1

„In a nation of kahikatea, standing together, individuals have shaped a new society by translating shared concerns into common goals, while elsewhere in the world, new technologies and globalisation have increased fragmentation of communities.“ (Foresight Project)

Example for Analysis 2

„Education provided by tertiary education providers, businesses, and community groups is vitally important to New Zealand in building a true knowledge society and achieving the economic benefits for such a society. The quality of our knowledge and skills base will determine New Zealand's future success in the global economy and as a cohesive society. (TEAC 2000)

Roberts' Analysis (example):

• „Diversity is acceptable, provided it accords with – or, indeed, helps fuel the dominant narrative of harnessing knowledge to become more economically competitive“

• „Social cohesion instead of equal opportunities: recognition of unequal distribution of market knowledge“

• „Forms of social harmony incompatible with neo-liberal practices and policies in NZ. They appeal to an older form of narrative knowledge: a story New Zealanders used to tell about themselves before the arrival of the market.“

References

• ROBERTS, PETER (2004) Neo-liberalism, Knowledge and Inclusiveness, Policy Futures in Education, 2(2), 350-364. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2004.2.2.9

• http://www.brightstar.co.nz/whitepapers/new-zealand-social-laboratory

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Postmodern_Condition

• http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~mhalber/Research/1styrpapr/pci-lyotard.html

• http://www.nistep.go.jp/achiev/ftx/eng/mat077e/html/mat0778e.html

• http://innovato.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/knowledge-economy/#more-42