Community Education and Neoliberalism

"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)

This book explores community education in Ireland and argues that neoliberalism has had a profound effect on community education.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.