Setting responsible pathways: the politics of responsibilisation

Abstract

Australian youth income support and educational policies have focused on increasing participation and retention in schools. The assumptions and rationales underpinning these policies assert a positive relationship between educational engagement, employment and social inclusion. This paper examines these assumptions and rationales and, drawing upon Australian and international research (particularly the UK) over the past decade, questions the efficacy of these policies in achieving their stated goals. Furthermore, the paper argues that the neoliberal philosophical underpinnings of these policies, particularly the emphasis on responsibilisation, can undermine disadvantaged young people's engagement with school and does little to create positive pathways to employment. Moreover, it is clear that disadvantaged young people are not assisted by these policies to make empowered social transitions.

‘Housing risk’ and the neoliberal discourse of responsibilisation in Victoria

“…Again, this is a rather simplistic and idealistic assumption that fails to adequately recognise the complexity involved in situations of housing risk, and its interrelationship with issues of educational achievement, unemployment and poverty (Arthurson and Jacobs, 2009; H. Dean, 2006; Parsell and Marston, 2012; Savelsberg, 2010; Wood et al, 2014). In contrast, it could be argued that further failure by governments to adequately invest in social housing and employment creation strategies will mean these envisaged ‘pathways to independence’ are unlikely to be realised for the majority of those experiencing housing risk.…”

Erhvervsskolelæreres håndtering af sameksisterende krav om øget fastholdelse og et højt fagligt niveau i erhvervsuddannelserne

“…I den forbindelse fremhaeves saerligt to aspekter. På den ene side skal uddannelsessystemerne garantere, at eleverne opnår relevante kompetencer og faerdigheder (Gibb & Walker, 2011;Grubb & Lazerson, 2006), og på den anden side skal en stadig større procentdel af populationen gennemføre mindst én ungdomsuddannelse (Savelsberg, 2010;Sullivan & Unwin, 2011;Taylor, 2002). Disse to målsaetninger har imidlertid vaeret kritiseret for at vaere for svaere at forene, idet et øget optag kan saenke det gennemsnitlige faglige niveau, samtidig med at høje krav til elevernes faglige niveau kan forøge antallet af elever, som falder fra uddannel-…”

‘Participatory parity’, young people and policy in Scotland

“…Such discourse fails to recognise that marginalised young people are heavily constrained in writing their individual 'biography' by factors such as poverty, social exclusion, geographical location and family disadvantage (Kemshall, 2009;Savelsberg, 2010). These factors can all combine to deny them the opportunity to participate on a par with their middle-class peers.…”

“…What these changes mean in terms of social justice for young people today is more difficult to discern. Researchers in Australia (Mosen-Lowe et al, 2009;Savelsberg, 2010;te Reile, 2006), Brazil (Wong & Balestino, 2001), Canada (Wishart et al, 2006) and England (Alexiadou, 2002) have all pointed out the ways in which disadvantaged young people are excluded through particular policy discourses that position them as deficient. In Scotland, however, promoting greater social justice so that all its citizens are included has been held up as a key vision of successive Scottish administrations since devolution began in 1999 (Mooney & Scott, 2012).…”