Notes on Commodity Forms and the Business Takeover of Schools

Glenn Rikowski

NOTES ON COMMODITY FORMS AND THE BUSINESS TAKEOVER OF SCHOOLS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These notes are for a seminar with second year Education Studies students at the University of East London, Stratford Campus, on 20^th November 2019.

 

Introduction

Commodification, marketisation, monetisation (the increasing scourge of money), and competition, commercialisation (advertising and selling-centred image manipulation) in education: how do we challenge and terminate these developments, if we wish to? Do we rely on the state to protect us from these insurgencies by capitalist interests and motivations in contemporary education? Will pressure from below, from us, urge the state to curb and end the role of business in education? Do we hope for a victory of Corbyn’s Labour Party in the forthcoming General Election to end the business takeover of education?

These notes indicate a way forward regarding posting answers to these questions. It is argued that we need to attack the business takeover of education at the micro level: at the level of the commodity, first and foremost.

The first Part of these notes focuses on this micro-level: commodity forms, the basic, elemental phenomena of capitalist society. Part Two explores one of these commodity forms, the general class of commodities, in terms of its development in contemporary schools. The focus is on how the general class of commodities, through the business takeover of schools, grows and spreads. The examples explored in Part Two come from schools in England, though, as Verger, Fontdevilla and Zancajo (2016) demonstrate, what they call the ‘global education industry’ (which is roughly equivalent to what I take as the business takeover of education) is a world-wide phenomenon, not confined to the UK, the US or Europe.

The perspective of these notes rests on Marxism; the ideas of Karl Marx and those who embrace his critique of capitalist society and its social scientific armoury. There are many forms of Marxism, and I stand within what has been called ‘Open Marxism’ – based on the work of people such as John Holloway and Werner Bonefeld. For 40 years, I have studied and organised around what has become known as Marxist educational theory.

 

The rest of these Notes can be found at Academia, in my ‘Teaching Documents’ section: https://www.academia.edu/40918435/Notes_on_Commodity_Forms_and_the_Business_Takeover_of_Schools

 

Glenn Rikowski

14 November 2019

 

More of Glenn Rikowski’s publication and papers can be found at:

Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

ResearchGate: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

 

Privatisation: Education and Commodity Forms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An article by Glenn Rikowski

My article has recently been published in:

Keywords in Radical Philosophy and Education: Common Concepts for Contemporary Movements

Edited by Derek R. Ford

Brill | Sense

Leiden | Boston

2019

 

This article, Chapter 25, is now available at Academia: https://www.academia.edu/39344962/Privatisation_Education_and_Commodity_Forms

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

While education is an inherently political field and practice, and while the political struggles that radical philosophy takes up necessarily involve education, there remains much to be done at the intersection of education and radical philosophy. That so many intense political struggles today actually center educational processes and institutions makes this gap all the more pressing. Yet in order for this work to be done, we need to begin to establish common frameworks and languages in and with which to move.

Keywords in Radical Philosophy and Education takes up this crucial and urgent task. Dozens of emerging and leading activists, organizers, and scholars assemble a collective body of concepts to interrogate, provoke, and mobilize contemporary political, economic, and social struggles. This wide-ranging edited collection covers key and innovative philosophical and educational themes–from animals, sex, wind, and praxis, to studying, podcasting, debt, and students.

This field-defining work is a necessary resource for all activists and academics interested in exploring the latest conceptual contributions growing out of the intersection of social struggles and the university.

Contributors are: Rebecca Alexander, Barbara Applebaum, David Backer, Jesse Bazzul, Brian Becker, Jesse Benjamin, Matt Bernico, Elijah Blanton, Polina-Theopoula Chrysochou, Clayton Cooprider, Katie Crabtree, Noah De Lissovoy, Sandra Delgado, Dean Dettloff, Zeyad El Nabolsy, Derek R. Ford, Raúl Olmo Fregoso Bailón, Michelle Gautreaux, Salina Gray, Aashish Hemrajani, Caitlin Howlett, Khuram Hussain, Petar Jandric, Colin Jenkins, Kelsey Dayle John, Lenore Kenny, Tyson E. Lewis, Curry Malott, Peter McLaren, Glenn Rikowski, Marelis Rivera, Alexa Schindel, Steven Singer, Ajit Singh, Nicole Snook, Devyn Springer, Sara Tolbert, Katherine Vroman, Anneliese Waalkes, Chris Widimaier, Savannah Jo Wilcek, David Wolken, Jason Wozniak, and Weili Zhao.

 

See: https://brill.com/abstract/title/54628?rskey=CsCTpk&result=1&fbclid=IwAR2QI5FkI42O-ZaKJXeE0FmlfSn-uKBKU02a9tFOpFMN6P0Se2q8bIqplrc

 

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

 

Keywords in Radical Philosophy and Education: Common Concepts for Contemporary Movements

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Derek R. Ford

Brill | Sense

Leiden | Boston

2019

 

While education is an inherently political field and practice, and while the political struggles that radical philosophy takes up necessarily involve education, there remains much to be done at the intersection of education and radical philosophy. That so many intense political struggles today actually center educational processes and institutions makes this gap all the more pressing. Yet in order for this work to be done, we need to begin to establish common frameworks and languages in and with which to move.

Keywords in Radical Philosophy and Education takes up this crucial and urgent task. Dozens of emerging and leading activists, organizers, and scholars assemble a collective body of concepts to interrogate, provoke, and mobilize contemporary political, economic, and social struggles. This wide-ranging edited collection covers key and innovative philosophical and educational themes–from animals, sex, wind, and praxis, to studying, podcasting, debt, and students.

This field-defining work is a necessary resource for all activists and academics interested in exploring the latest conceptual contributions growing out of the intersection of social struggles and the university.

Contributors are: Rebecca Alexander, Barbara Applebaum, David Backer, Jesse Bazzul, Brian Becker, Jesse Benjamin, Matt Bernico, Elijah Blanton, Polina-Theopoula Chrysochou, Clayton Cooprider, Katie Crabtree, Noah De Lissovoy, Sandra Delgado, Dean Dettloff, Zeyad El Nabolsy, Derek R. Ford, Raúl Olmo Fregoso Bailón, Michelle Gautreaux, Salina Gray, Aashish Hemrajani, Caitlin Howlett, Khuram Hussain, Petar Jandric, Colin Jenkins, Kelsey Dayle John, Lenore Kenny, Tyson E. Lewis, Curry Malott, Peter McLaren, Glenn Rikowski, Marelis Rivera, Alexa Schindel, Steven Singer, Ajit Singh, Nicole Snook, Devyn Springer, Sara Tolbert, Katherine Vroman, Anneliese Waalkes, Chris Widimaier, Savannah Jo Wilcek, David Wolken, Jason Wozniak, and Weili Zhao.

See: See: https://brill.com/abstract/title/54628?rskey=CsCTpk&result=1&fbclid=IwAR2QI5FkI42O-ZaKJXeE0FmlfSn-uKBKU02a9tFOpFMN6P0Se2q8bIqplrc

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

 

Marxism and Education: Fragility, Crisis, Critique

Glenn Rikowski

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a new article out in Cadernos do GPOSSHE On-line, Vol.1 No.1 (2018): pp.142-170, Marxism and Education: Fragility, Crisis, Critique.

It now available at Academia, @ https://www.academia.edu/37616749/Marxism_and_Education_Fragility_Crisis_Critique

It is also available at ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328428970_Marxism_and_Education_Fragility_Crisis_Critique

 

ABSTRACT

The article rests substantially on the work of John Holloway, especially his early articles in Common Sense: Journal of the Edinburgh Conference of Socialist Economists. On this foundation, it is argued, firstly, that the importance of Marxism resides in its capacity to pinpoint fragilities and weaknesses in the constitution, development and rule of capital in contemporary society. Understanding these fragilities sharpens the critical edge of any movements aimed at social transformation out of the madhouse of capital.

Glenn Rikowski

 

***END***

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

Interview on Marxism, Critical Pedagogy and Inclusive Education: Discussions for a Revolutionary Discourse

Glenn Rikowski

 

 

 

My interview with Aldo Ocampo Gonzalez, ‘Interview on Marxism, Critical Pedagogy and Inclusive Education: Discussions for a Revolutionary Discourse‘ is now available at Academia.

Aldo Ocampo Gonzalez is Director of the Center for Latin American Studies on Inclusive Education (CELEI), based in Santiago, Chile.

The website for CELEI is: http://www.celei.cl

The interview can be viewed on Academia at:  https://www.academia.edu/36752890/Interview_on_Marxism_Critical_Pedagogy_and_Inclusive_Education_Discussions_for_a_Revolutionary_Discourse

***END***

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate

Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate

 

 

I have had many articles, papers, reports, presentations and teaching documents at Academia for some years now. But for the last year I have built up my collection of papers, articles etc. at ResearchGate.

You can find these documents at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Here are direct links to a few of my papers and articles:

Education Crises As Crises For Capital (2018) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322642418_Education_Crises_As_Crises_For_Capital

Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms (2017) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322144355_Privatisation_in_Education_and_Commodity_Forms

Capitorg: Education and the Constitution of the Human in Contemporary Society (2011) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309529786_Capitorg_Education_and_the_Constitution_of_the_Human_in_Contemporary_Society

Education and the Politics of Human Resistance (2006) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241262665_Education_and_the_Politics_of_Human_Resistance

Education for Industry: A Complex Technicism (2001) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44837860_Education_for_Industry_A_complex_technicism

 

***END***

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Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

Misrepresentations: Critical Notes on Commodities and Education

Glenn Rikowski

 

 

 

 

Glenn Rikowski

Visiting Fellow, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, UK

 

This is a paper I wrote in response to a presentation I went to at the 2017 Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) Annual Conference at Oxford, by David Bridges.

The paper was completed on 3^rd October 2017, at is now available at Academia.

 

ABSTRACT

This paper argues that attempts to understand commodification in education and educational research without recourse to the greatest thinker on commodity forms – Karl Marx – inevitably leads to confusion and misrepresentation in educational theory. This is demonstrated through a critique of a recent paper by David Bridges (2017) where he focuses on commodification in education research. By ignoring the ideas of Marx, but also contemporary Marxist theorists writing on the commodity and commodification, Bridges fails to make crucial distinctions in the analysis of commodification, and also conflates and confuses concepts and their corresponding phenomena that should be kept separate. In the event, Bridges, and other mainstream educational theorists who avoid reference to Marx and Marxist theory, end up creating a host of misrepresentations in their analyses of educational commodification. Such approaches camouflage the capitalisation of education; that is, educational institutions ‘becoming capital’, the becoming of capital. These theorisations are superficial and politically misleading.

 

***END***

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Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

 

Dr. Glenn Rikowski

 

Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms

Glenn Rikowski

 

 

 

 

Glenn Rikowski, Visiting Fellow, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, UK

 

My article, Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms has now been published in Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Volume 15 Number 3, December 2017, pp.29-56.

The Abstract for the article is below.

The article can be accessed at: http://www.jceps.com/archives/3620

and http://www.jceps.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/15-3-2.pdf

 

ABSTRACT

To date research and scholarship on privatisation in education lacks critical depth and intensity. Stock concerns occupy contributions to the field: the effects of privatisation in education on teachers’ labour, pay and conditions of service; educational expenditure; resultant problems of planning at local and national levels; corruption (systemic, and by teachers); and on the curriculum and pedagogy. Additionally, many accounts have been largely descriptive, focusing on how privatisation takes place, or on threats to privatisation, or its insertion within education systems. Many case studies have been undertaken in this light, with sectoral, country-wide and local cases. There has been less emphasis on why privatisation in education occurs. Resistance to educational privatisation has been another common theme. Finally, work on educational commodification has been substantially dissociated from studies on privatisation in education. This paper builds on this last point. Writing and research on privatisation in education has largely avoided what it represents and calls forth: the development of capital, the deeper capitalisation of education. Furthermore, discussion on educational privatisation typically ignores its implication in the social production of labour-power. Therefore, with reference to Karl Marx, this contribution drives the critique of privatisation in education forward by focusing on commodity form(s) in education and their relations to the capitalisation of educational services. Consequently, the points of resistance to privatisation in education are sharpened as anti-capitalist weapons.

 

The URL for the whole issue is: http://www.jceps.com/archives/3644

The journal website is: http://www.jceps.com

 

***END***

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Glenn Rikowski at ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski at Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski

Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies – Volume 15 Number 3, December 2017

Glenn Rikowski

 

This is the latest issue of Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies. It includes my article Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms.

 

 

 

 

Volume 15 Number 3 – December 2017

 

Ravi Kumar
Consensualised Reproduction and Fascisation of Society: Critical Pedagogy in Times of Despair

 

Glenn Rikowski
Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms

 

Mike Cole
‘A bright future’ for ‘something new and highly significant’ or a bit of a damp squib?: (neo-) Marxist reflections on recent theoretical developments in ‘BritCrit’ in the journal Race, Ethnicity and Education

 

Oskar Szwabowski
Paulina Wężniejewska
An (co)autoethnography story about going against the neoliberal didactic machine

 

Sezen Bayhan
Ayşe Caner 
Schools in the Nexus of Neoliberal Urban Transformation and Education Policy Change

 

Chris Holligan
Corporate Schooling and Decorative Metrics: The Iconography of Academy School Chains in England

 

Dhammika Jayawardena 
The “MacBurger”, Non-State Universities and the Changing Landscape of Higher Education in Sri Lanka

 

Steve Hanson
Language, juridical epistemologies and power in the new UK university: Can alternative providers escape?

 

Cecilia Rikap 
The Differentiated Market-University: is commodification equally affecting all universities?

 

Joseph Cunningham
Rhetorical Tension in the Bureaucratic University

 

Fernando Murillo
Ideology, Curriculum & The Self: The psychic rootedness of ideology and resistance in subjectivity

 

Carl Parsons
Kaia-Marie A. Bishop
Book Review: Mike Cole (2016)Racism: a Critical Analysis. London: Pluto Press.

 

 

Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies: http://www.jceps.com

 

***END***

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Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

 

Dave Hill

 

Critique of the Classical Theory of Education Crisis

Glenn Rikowski

 

 

Glenn Rikowski, Visiting Fellow, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, UK

 

 

 

 

This is a paper prepared for the International Centre for Public Pedagogies (ICPuP), International Seminar for Public Pedagogies at the University of East London for 21^st February 2018. See the post below for details.

The paper is now available on Academia, see: https://www.academia.edu/35164258/Critique_of_the_Classical_Theory_of_Education_Crisis

 

ABSTRACT

The Classical Theory of Education Crisis is the default theory utilised by educational theorists for understanding the constitution and explanation of education crises in contemporary society. Following a brief outline of the concept of crisis, and the histiography of the notion of education crisis from the Second World War to the neoliberal recession of 1980-82, there is a an outline of The Classical Theory of Education Crisis as most fully expressed in Madan Sarup’s classic Education, State and Crisis: A Marxist Perspective (1982). The key aspect of the Classical Theory is that education crises are derivative of economic crises. This is followed by the main event: critique of the Classical Theory. Its reliance on structuralist thought (with associated determinism, functionalism and reductionism) and the inflow of economics imperialism are some of its key deficiencies. The Conclusion outlines ground still to be covered and the need to move beyond the Classical Theory of Education Crisis.

 

***END***

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Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski @ Academia: http://lsbu.academia.edu/RuthRikowski

 

Glenn Rikowski

Kristi’s Shoe Repairs – Ilford: SAVE KRISTI’S!

Jimmy Papi in Kristi’s Shoe Repairs

Kristi’s Shoe Repairs has been a part of Ilford station for over a quarter of a century providing quality shoe repair services to commuters and local customers. Kristi’s is not just a local business with a loyal customer base, it is part of the Ilford Community and as a small local business Kristi’s pays it taxes to the local community.

The upgrade of Ilford Station as part of the London Cross Rail project is a welcomed improvement for the people of Ilford and London as a whole. However instead of embracing this small local business, TFL and its subsidiary Crossrail are evicting Kristi’s from the new station. Despite my many requests, TFL and its agents have not offered Kristi’s any space in the new station.

Unless there is a change of heart by TFL, Kristi’s at Ilford Station will close its door for the last time in 2017. With your help by signing the petition to save Kristi’s we may be able to persuade TFL to include this small and successful local business alongside the many corporate retailers that are being brought into the newly developed Ilford station.

 

This petition will be delivered to:

Managing Director, Surface Transport, Transport for London (TfL), Leon Daniels

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

Commissioner, Transport for London (TfL), Mike Brown

Sign the Petition @ https://www.change.org/p/save-kristi-s-shoe-repairs

 

Personal Statement:

I have been taking my shoes to be repaired at Kristi’s Shoe Repairs in Ilford since the business started up. Jimmy Papi is a real craftsman: top quality work, good value and he gives great advice about the care of shoes and how to make them last longer. Kristi’s provides a very friendly and helpful service. This is a small, community and highly professional business that Ilford and the surrounding area needs. TfL, the Mayor of London and Redbridge Council should surely reserve a place for Kristi’s in the planned redevelopment of Ilford Station. The new development should not just be about boring chain stores and outlets!

Dr. Glenn Rikowski

Jimmy Papi, Kristi’s Shoe Repairs

 

 

Newspaper Reports:

Ilford Recorder, 3^rd April 2014: http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/shoe-repairman-told-to-vacate-ilford-station-premises-after-20-years-to-make-way-for-crossrail-1-3519724

East London & West Essex Guardian, 10^th January 2017: http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/15014030.PETITION__Shoe_repair_shop_faces_demolition_in_favour_of_new_Elizabeth_Line/

 

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski 

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Ruth Rikowski, outside Kristi’s Shoe Repairs, Ilford

 

Autogenous Theories of Education Crisis

New College, Oxford

AUTOGENOUS THEORIES OF EDUCATION CRISIS

 

A paper prepared for the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) Annual Conference, New College, Oxford, 31^st March – 2^nd April, 2017

Glenn Rikowski, Visiting Fellow, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, UK

Abstract: ‘Crisis’ is a concept increasingly used in media reports on education. This paper argues that philosophers of education have a unique contribution to make regarding the nature and constitution of education crisis. Thus, they have a responsibility to take up the challenge of developing perspectives on education crises. Following examinations of the concept of crisis and The Marxist-oriented Classical Theory of Education Crisis (where education crises are derivative of economic ones), the paper forges an autogenous theory of education crisis through Robin Barrow’s (2011) précis of R.S. Peters’s concept of education. Some education crises are crises of education; not necessarily crises in education with origins elsewhere in society. For these forms of crisis, the concept of education itself should be the starting point for analysis. The paper opens up a new field of study for educational philosophers by indicating how education crises can emerge from within education institutions and settings.

 

My paper is now available at Academia: http://www.academia.edu/32222291/Autogenous_Theories_of_Education_Crisis and also at ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315646975_Autogenous_Theories_of_Education_Crisis

 

Glenn Rikowski at ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski

Glenn Rikowski at Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski