Comparing Adult Learning Systems: an emerging political economy

Adult learning systems have come to be dominated by the view that the essential role of adult learning is to generate the high levels of skills deemed necessary for competitiveness and growth in the globalised economy. This ‘education gospel’ is underpinned by human capital theory (HCT) and its contemporary conceptualisation in terms of the knowledge-based economy. Nevertheless, it remains the case that there are significant differences in the strategies of national governments towards adult learning and in patterns of engagement with the learning opportunities that are made available. This paper sets out to explore how this diversity in national systems of adult learning might be addressed analytically. Adult learning is embedded in characteristic regimes of economic and social institutions, which can be understood in terms of a systematic international political economy. In particular, adult learning systems are explored by reference to the models of capitalist organisation elaborated in the neo-institutionalist analysis of ‘varieties of capitalism’ (Hall and Soskice, 2001): the liberal market economy and the co-ordinated market economy. A major alternative is provided by Esping-Anderson's (1990; 1999) analysis of ‘welfare state regimes’. Moreover, Rubenson and Desjardins (2009) have used this theoretical framework as a means of analysing systematic variations between national adult learning systems. These analyses raise questions about the use of national states as the key unit of analysis. Significant divergences in institutional arrangements and access to opportunities for adult learning (by social group or locality, for example) may be obscured by this method of comparative analysis. Moreover, consideration of the micro-theoretical foundations of these approaches highlights the difficulties in moving beyond the economistic ‘rationality’ of HCT. The issue here is the extent to which norms of behaviour in relation to engaging in adult learning can be appropriately understood in terms of a relatively homogeneous, national social system, rather than in terms of a much more socially differentiated repertoire of norm-based orientations.     

The political economy of incorporation: Black sociologists in academia

This study examines institutional variations in the recruitment of black sociologists in academia and in racial allocations of academic rank. It is designed to identify aspects of the academy that pose barriers to equal participation for black sociologists and to suggest institutional structures and environments that are most likely to equitably incorporate them. Drawing on a 1984 national survey of sociology departments (N=230), the study examines both the absolute and proportional representation of black sociologists at the departmental level, as well as issues of tokenism and equality in the assignment of academic rank among racially integrated departmental faculties. Results indicate that the factors that promote better black faculty representation do not always provide African-Americans with other black colleagues, with substantial numerical influence within the department, or with equality in academic rank. Those colleges and universities that are most likely to have black sociologists are large, have sizable black student populations, and are located in metropolitan areas or the South. Racial equality in academic rank is most closely associated with dependence on government revenues.Data for this study were collected with financial support from the American Sociological Association, the Pacific Sociological Association, and the University of Oregon Center for the Study of Women in Society. Support for the analysis came from the National Science Foundation (SES-8922477) and an Arizona State University Faculty Grant-in-Aid. I am grateful to K. Jill Kiecolt, Karen A. Miller and A. Wade Smith for their comments and suggestions. Any errors of commission, omission or interpretation are mine alone.     

历史地看待政治经济学的涵义和地位

政治经济学有两层涵义,一是公共经济学,一是制度经济学。１７世纪中叶到１８世纪初,是古典政府经济学的鼎盛时期;１９世纪中叶,马克思批判地继承了古典政治经济学;１９世纪末,随着新古典经济学的兴起,政治经济学在西方渐趋衰落;２０世纪３０年代以后,包括凯恩斯主义在内的一些现代经济学流派在某种程度上向传统政治经济学复归;最后,当代世界经济是带有政治性质的,制度变迁的必要性决定政治经济学地位的上升。     

The political economy of education and inequality: reflections on Piketty

Piketty’s Capitalism in the twenty-first century provides a superb, detailed historical analysis of the evolution of income and wealth inequality. Piketty demonstrates vast and increasing inequality that he argues might possibly be tempered in the future by economic growth and educational expansion supplemented by government redistributive policies. However, Piketty has little understanding of the reproductive nature of education, the limits of economic growth, or the fundamental problems of capitalism. In this paper, I depart from a political economy perspective to examine the bankruptcy of the underlying neoclassical economic theory he relies upon. In particular, I discuss how Piketty mistakenly sees capitalism as, in large part, a meritocracy, and the implications for education.     

马克思主义政治经济学指导供给侧结构性改革

在经济社会发展中,供给侧结构性改革是解决各种深层次矛盾的客观需要。马克思主义政治经济学揭示了人类社会经济发展的一般规律,是中国特色社会主义的理论基础,对社会主义经济发展提出了科学的预见。坚持以马克思主义政治经济学为指导,正确解读供给侧结构性改革,通过创新促进新的产品进一步满足潜在的需求,实现我国经济可持续发展。     

马克思主义政治经济学中国化的经验总结

中国共产党在马克思主义政治经济学中国化进程中积累了丰富的经验,马克思主义政治经济学是我们坚持和发展马克思主义的必修课,要坚持马克思主义政治经济学基本原理的指导,只有在建设、改革开放实践中才能发展马克思主义政治经济学,要坚持以人民为中心的立场,要加强马克思主义政治经济学学科建设,要处理好马克思主义政治经济学与西方经济学的关系。     

The problem of bio-concepts: biopolitics,bio-economy and the political economy of nothing

Scholars in science and technology studies—and no doubt other fields—have increasingly drawn on Michel Foucault’s concept of biopolitics to theorize a variety of new ‘bio-concepts’. While there might be some theoretical value in such exercises, many of these bio-concepts have simply replaced more rigorous—and therefore time-consuming—analytical work. This article provides a (sympathetic) critique of these various bio-concepts, especially as they are applied to the emerging ‘bio-economy’. In so doing, the article seeks to show that the analysis of the bio-economy could be better framed as a political economy of nothing. This has several implications for science education, which are raised in the article.     

Financing and political economy of higher education: The case of Lebanon

This paper assesses the adequacy, efficiency, and equity of higher education in Lebanon in both the public and private sectors, while highlighting challenges that are specific to Lebanon. It concludes by discussing various approaches and strategies to remedy the challenges facing higher education in Lebanon.     

发展的劳动价值论与政治经济学若干问题的思考

知识经济时代，劳动价值论因劳动的性质、范围、主体结构的变化必然与时俱进，从而建立在劳动价值论基础上的政治经济学理论也必须丰富发展。本文主要对剩余价值理论、资本积累理论、社会资本再生产理论、利润和平均利润理论的若干观点进行讨论。