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The Pedagogical Potential of Student Activism

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The Pedagogical Potential of Student Activism THE PEDAGOGICAL POTENTIAL OF STUDENT ACTIVISM: NARRATIVES OF ECONOMICS STUDENTS by Sandra Ximena Delgado B.A., Universidad Nacional of Colombia, 2008 M.Sc., Universidad Nacional of Colombia, 2012 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Curriculum Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) December 2020 © Sandra Ximena Delgado, 2020 The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the dissertation entitled: The Pedagogical Potential of Student Activism: Narratives of Economics Students. Submitted by Sandra Ximena Delgado in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Pedagogy Examining Committee: Dr. E. Wayne Ross, Curriculum Studies Supervisor Dr. Sandra Mathison, Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Stephen Petrina, Curriculum Studies Supervisory Committee Member Anne Phelan, Curriculum Studies University Examiner Taylor Webb, Educational Studies University Examiner ii Abstract This research presents a narrative exploration of how economics students understand and experience their activism in the age of the neoliberal university and how their experience as students is transformed by social action. The primary focus of this study is to understand economics students experience as part of an effort to better understand student activism within the neoliberal university. This dissertation offers seven narrative themes that illustrate the experiences of economics students as they are transformed by social action and also presents a portrayal of the relations between students’ experiences of activism and as economics students. This research discusses the implications and contributions that student activism generates in the student life and in the identity of students and future professionals in economics. The narrative themes were created to familiarize readers to curricular activism in economics and to help them to interpret and analyze economics students’ perspectives and experiences participating in curricular activism. One of the main arguments of this dissertation is that activism and social action are contributing to a re-imagination and reinvention of the experience of being an economics student in the age of the neoliberal university. Activism transforms the way economics students see themselves and how they understand their role in society, the role of economics and the urge to change economics education as new economic, social, environmental and health crises affect everyday life. iii Lay Summary This research is an exploration of how post-secondary economics students engage in social activism, the pedagogical roles that student social activism play and the synergies between the role of students and the role of social activist. This research employs narrative analysis to explore student experiences by examining narratives that students create and share as part of their activism. This research illustrates student experiences in seven narrative themes that familiarize readers with the student movement in conomics. The narrative themes guide the reader through the experiences of activists and present a portrayal of what is like to be an economics student activist. The narrative themes illustrate how activism in economics is contributing to a re-imagination and reinvention of the experience of being economics student in the age of the neoliberal university. iv Preface This dissertation is original and independent research by the lead author, Sandra Ximena Delgado. A version of chapters 1.3 and 2.7 has been published in Delgado- Betancourth, S. X. (2014). Rethinking economics education: Challenges and opportunities. Workplace, 23, 48-56, both chapters were written by me. A version of chapter 2.2 has been published in Delgado, S. (2019). Students. In D. R. Ford (Ed.), Keywords in Radical Philosophy and Education. Brill Sense. This article was written by me. A version of chapter 2.3 and chapter 2.4 has been published in Delgado, S., & Ross, E. W. (2016). Students in revolt: The pedagogical potential of students’ collective action in the age of the corporate university. Knowledge Cultures, 4(6), 139–156. I conducted the research and wrote the introductions and the sections titled “An Overview of Student Movements”, “Repertoires of Contention and Direct Action” and “Repertoires of Contention in Contemporary Student Movements” of the article. As the lead investigator, I designed, conducted, and reported this study with the assistance of Dr. E. Wayne Ross, Dr. Sandra Mathison and Dr. Stephen Petrina. Ethics approval for this research was provided by the University of British Columbia Behavioral Research Ethics Board: certificate # H17-01182. All of the narratives and stories were collected in collaboration with the different student organizations that are part of the Rethinking Economics Network in the UK and the Post-Crash Economics Society. I remain solely responsible for the content of this dissertation, including any errors or omissions. v Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................. iii Lay Summary ......................................................................................................................... iv Preface ..................................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ viii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ ix List of Acronyms ..................................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ xi Dedication .............................................................................................................................. xii Chapter 1. Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Neoliberal University ........................................................................................ 1 1.2 Economics Education ............................................................................................... 8 1.3 The Importance of the Struggle over Economics Curriculum ................................ 14 1.4 My Experiences in Economics Education and my Personal Journey ..................... 24 1.5 Research Questions ................................................................................................. 28 1.6 Overview ................................................................................................................ 29 Chapter 2. Literature Review ......................................................................................... 31 2.1 The Curriculum, Critical Pedagogy and Higher Education .................................... 31 2.2 Students in the Neoliberal University ..................................................................... 36 2.2.1 Students in Critical and Radical Traditions .................................................... 47 2.3 Student Movements ................................................................................................ 51 2.4 Student Movements and Activism .......................................................................... 55 2.5 Students and Academic Freedom ........................................................................... 60 2.6 Activism and Pedagogy .......................................................................................... 63 2.7 The Student Movement in Economics .................................................................... 68 2.8 Summary of Arguments .......................................................................................... 76 Chapter 3. Methodology .................................................................................................. 79 3.1 Narrative Research in the Context of Social Action ............................................... 91 3.2 Participants and Recruitment .................................................................................. 92 3.3 Data Collection ....................................................................................................... 95 3.4 Data Analysis and Interpretation ............................................................................ 97 3.5 Ethical Concerns ................................................................................................... 103 Chapter 4. The Pedagogical Potential of Student Activism ....................................... 106 4.1 Narrative Theme I: How was the 2008 economic crisis experienced by economics students in the movement? ............................................................................................... 108 vi 4.2 Narrative Theme II: What is an economist anyway? ............................................ 116
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