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Individualisation in Swedish Adult Education and the Shaping of Neo-liberal Subjectivities

Fejes, Andreas ; Olson, Maria ; Rahm, Lina ; Dahlstedt, Magnus and Sandberg, Fredrik LU (2018) In Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 62(3). p.461-473
Abstract

In this article we have analysed the ways a discourse on individualisation is taking shape within adult education in Sweden, how it operates, and what effects it has in terms of shaping student subjectivity. Drawing on a post-structural theorisation we analyse interviews with teachers and students in municipal adult education and folk high schools (FHS). The analysis illustrates how both institutions contribute to the shaping of individualised subjectivities, although differently. At the end, a general question is raised about what happens with the democratic function of adult education in general when a discourse on individualisation operates in the ways described and, more specifically, asks what is happening to FHS as an educational... (More)

In this article we have analysed the ways a discourse on individualisation is taking shape within adult education in Sweden, how it operates, and what effects it has in terms of shaping student subjectivity. Drawing on a post-structural theorisation we analyse interviews with teachers and students in municipal adult education and folk high schools (FHS). The analysis illustrates how both institutions contribute to the shaping of individualised subjectivities, although differently. At the end, a general question is raised about what happens with the democratic function of adult education in general when a discourse on individualisation operates in the ways described and, more specifically, asks what is happening to FHS as an educational practice that upholds its self-image as a last bastion of a collective notion of learning and subjectivity and nurturing an educational practice of learning democracy?

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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adult education, folk high schools, governmentality, individualisation, municipal adult education, popular education
in
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research
volume
62
issue
3
pages
461 - 473
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85006160437
ISSN
0031-3831
DOI
10.1080/00313831.2016.1258666
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
5f1961b1-5e84-4616-94ca-ab0f299ac38e
date added to LUP
2016-12-31 12:26:25
date last changed
2022-04-09 02:05:46
@article{5f1961b1-5e84-4616-94ca-ab0f299ac38e,
  abstract     = {{<p>In this article we have analysed the ways a discourse on individualisation is taking shape within adult education in Sweden, how it operates, and what effects it has in terms of shaping student subjectivity. Drawing on a post-structural theorisation we analyse interviews with teachers and students in municipal adult education and folk high schools (FHS). The analysis illustrates how both institutions contribute to the shaping of individualised subjectivities, although differently. At the end, a general question is raised about what happens with the democratic function of adult education in general when a discourse on individualisation operates in the ways described and, more specifically, asks what is happening to FHS as an educational practice that upholds its self-image as a last bastion of a collective notion of learning and subjectivity and nurturing an educational practice of learning democracy?</p>}},
  author       = {{Fejes, Andreas and Olson, Maria and Rahm, Lina and Dahlstedt, Magnus and Sandberg, Fredrik}},
  issn         = {{0031-3831}},
  keywords     = {{Adult education; folk high schools; governmentality; individualisation; municipal adult education; popular education}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{461--473}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research}},
  title        = {{Individualisation in Swedish Adult Education and the Shaping of Neo-liberal Subjectivities}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1258666}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00313831.2016.1258666}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}