From England with love… ARK, heterarchies and global ‘philanthropic governance’

Silicon startup schools: technocracy, algorithmic imaginaries and venture philanthropy in corporate education reform

“…As the analysis of the content of the four project websites, web searches around their originators and associated media commentary has demonstrated, these projects emerge from and reinforce the technocratic mentality and algorithmic imaginary associated with Silicon Valley entrepreneurial culture which asserts that the problems of schooling can be fixed through the application of technical solutions written in code and funded philanthropically. The role of venture philanthropy has been well-documented in relation to US charter schools, UK academy schools and other privately funded excursions into education reform and policy entrepreneurship (Au & Ferrare, 2015;Ball & Junemann, 2012;Lubienski, 2013;Olmedo, 2014;Reckhow, 2013;Saltman, 2010), but the specific involvement of Silicon Valley high-tech entrepreneurs in establishing their own models of schooling opens up a new and challenging site of inquiry. In particular, the establishment of startup schools by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs represents a concerted emerging corporate reform movement that translates the technocratic mentality of the technology sector into the obligations of educational institutions.…”

“…577-78) notes, philanthropic governance entails the 'degovernmentalization' of education as 'monopolistic control over state actions' is redistributed to other actors with 'different backgrounds, profiles and interests' and that aspire to act as new sources of expertise in educational matters. In terms of governance, UK school boards of governors are already being transformed into more businesslike, entrepreneurial outfits (Wilkins, 2015), and there is more commercial involvement as well as philanthropic governance of schools through the academies program (Ball & Junemann, 2012;Olmedo, 2014). In addition, Silicon Valley's startup schools are seeking to accelerate the process of data-driven school evaluation associated with the charter school movement (Reckhow, 2013).…”

“…'Champions of philanthrocapitalism suggest that private giving can fill the void left by diminished government spending on social and development programmes ', claims McGoey (2014, p. 109), but also that 'new philanthropic initiatives have compelled increased financial support from governments toward the private sector'. Olmedo (2014) terms this 'philanthropic governance' to refer to how venture philanthropists have brought important changes to how education is enacted -including the reorientation of governments and the public sector to embrace the model of venture philanthropy from the private sector. For Reckhow (2013), the new 'Boardroom Progressives' represented by corporate philanthropists (many from successful technology companies) are impatient with public bureaucracies and have focused instead on creating a broad network of private and nonprofit alternatives for developing and running schools.…”

Consultants, consultancy and consultocracy in education policymaking in England

“…Marinetto (2003) questions the narrative about 'hollowing out' (Rhodes 1994) and argues that this is an exaggeration. Hence, the workings of networks are in need of examination (Ball and Junemann 2012) and supranational policy spaces needs recognition (Lawn and Grek 2012), but such analysis is limited without the recognition of hierarchies located within and legitimised by public institutions, and this is why Ball (2007) and Olmedo's (2014) work on heterarchies is a significant contribution to theorising. Indeed, Saint-Martin's (1998a, 1998b analysis shows the importance of the nation state with authority and legitimacy rooted within institutionalised cultures and constitutional arrangements in regard to understanding and explaining knowledge production and the role/contribution of knowledge actors.…”

Roles of local foundations in German community-based initiatives: Devolving criticism of philanthropy to the local?

“…Alongside forprofit firms and businesses, "primacy and legitimacy" are given to non-governmental, voluntary, and philanthropic organizations (Ball, 2016, p. 560). More specifically, the involvement of philanthropists and their foundations is emphasized in the current international literature (Ball & Junemann, 2012;Ferris, Hentschke, & Harmssen, 2007;Kolleck, 2017;Lubienski, 2014;Lubienski, Brewer, & La Londe, 2016;Olmedo, 2013;Reckhow & Snyder, 2014;Scott, 2009;Thümler, 2011). These analyses critically study philanthropic strategies and tactics to influence education policy, prominently engaging in (supra-)national networks.…”