The halted neoliberalising of public schools: policy trajectories of two ‘failed’ privatisation reforms in South Korea and China
The halted neoliberalising of public schools: policy trajectories of two ‘failed’ privatisation reforms in South Korea and China
This paper investigates and compares the policy trajectories of two halted privatisation reforms–autonomous private high schools in South Korea (2002–2019) and converted schools in China (1992–2008). The two reforms, ambitiously announced, were put under scrutiny and ultimately halted, when the public discontent about education inequalities was widely expressed. We particularly focus on the profound entanglement between neoliberal forces and contextual specificities, and their conjoint influences on the two reforms. The non-linear trajectories are explained through their reified embrace of neoliberal discourses and strategies, deep-rooted ideologies, political systems, and legitimisation derived from the shared Confucian ideals of ‘benevolent governance’ and social stability. This paper argues that, in these contexts, the verb form ‘neoliberalising’ better captures the dynamics and openness of privatisation reforms and renders nuanced understandings beyond the currently dominant neoliberal frames of reference.
China, South Korea, autonomous private high school, converted school, neoliberalising, neoliberalism, converted school (zhuanzhi xuexiao), educational equity, autonomous private high school (jaripyeong saripgo), educational privatisation, Neoliberalism
You, Yun
8ad88955-acda-4d81-aa33-93721445be58
Choi, Tae-Hee
3cec7c93-92cd-4329-b0a7-3b208c65dcb7
You, Yun
8ad88955-acda-4d81-aa33-93721445be58
Choi, Tae-Hee
3cec7c93-92cd-4329-b0a7-3b208c65dcb7
You, Yun and Choi, Tae-Hee
(2023)
The halted neoliberalising of public schools: policy trajectories of two ‘failed’ privatisation reforms in South Korea and China.
Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education.
(doi:10.1080/03057925.2023.2254215).
Abstract
This paper investigates and compares the policy trajectories of two halted privatisation reforms–autonomous private high schools in South Korea (2002–2019) and converted schools in China (1992–2008). The two reforms, ambitiously announced, were put under scrutiny and ultimately halted, when the public discontent about education inequalities was widely expressed. We particularly focus on the profound entanglement between neoliberal forces and contextual specificities, and their conjoint influences on the two reforms. The non-linear trajectories are explained through their reified embrace of neoliberal discourses and strategies, deep-rooted ideologies, political systems, and legitimisation derived from the shared Confucian ideals of ‘benevolent governance’ and social stability. This paper argues that, in these contexts, the verb form ‘neoliberalising’ better captures the dynamics and openness of privatisation reforms and renders nuanced understandings beyond the currently dominant neoliberal frames of reference.
Text
You & Choi (2022) The Halted Neoliberalising of Public Schools Policy Accepted Manuscript
- Accepted Manuscript
Restricted to Repository staff only until 22 March 2025.
Request a copy
Text
The halted neoliberalising of public schools policy trajectories of two failed privatisation reforms in South Korea and China
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 7 July 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 September 2023
Keywords:
China, South Korea, autonomous private high school, converted school, neoliberalising, neoliberalism, converted school (zhuanzhi xuexiao), educational equity, autonomous private high school (jaripyeong saripgo), educational privatisation, Neoliberalism
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 481010
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/481010
ISSN: 0305-7925
PURE UUID: 0cfb24f5-6de6-49e9-8a09-d1c203cdd325
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 14 Aug 2023 16:59
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:16
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Yun You
Author:
Tae-Hee Choi
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics