Social justice in education in ‘new times’ Thesis submitted by Jane Marie PITT Dip Teach (Wattle Park TC), Advanced Dip Teach (Torrens CAE), BEd (Adelaide CAE),Grad Dip Reading and Language Ed (South Australian CAE), Grad Dip Ed Language and Literacy (South Australian CAE), MEd (Deakin Uni) Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Education Deakin University 1998 ii DEAKIN UNIVERSITY CANDIDATE’S CERTIFICATE I certify that the thesis entitled Social justice in education in ‘new times’ submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is the result of my own research, except where otherwise acknowledged, and that this thesis in whole or in part has not been submitted for an award including a higher degree to any other university or institution. Name: Jane Pitt Signature ……………………………………… Date ……………….. iii Acknowledgments Completing a doctorate is a long and daunting journey. One that I would not have been able to complete without the support and encouragement of many. Some were friends when I started on the journey, all I would now view as friends. First my thanks goes to my supervisor Doctor Lindsay Fitzclarence who has been with me throughout the journey. Lindsay, thank you for the advice, encouragement and critique you have provided for me along the way. The influence of theorists such as Giddens, Sharp, MacIntyre and Singer on both this thesis and on my life are due to his advice. I complete this thesis with the desire to continue the journey of learning and I owe this in no small part to Lindsay. Thanks must also go to the staff, parents and students of the school that was the focus of this critical case analysis. Also thanks to those in the local community who offered support advice and information. To the local paper the Murray Pioneer for giving me access to their archival material. I want also to thank many other fellow teachers and learners who have supported me. They spent time in discussions with me, recommended texts and provided honest feedback on my writing. Among these I would like particularly to thank, Nathalie Wooldridge, Barbara Comber, Helen Nixon, Phil Cormack, John Liddle, Phil Kimber, Kerry Kavanagh, Tony Guster, Sue Van Every and Ruth Motley. I am particularly grateful to Jac Hocking and Sue Stoeckel who showed an interest in my work throughout and who read drafts of my work with avid interest and a keen eye. To Margaret Bell for her patience and computing expertise. Finally I want to thank my family, especially Eileen Pitt who not only read drafts of my work but remained supportive of me even when the journey got tough. iv Table of Contents PART 1 MAPPING THE AREA 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 2 1.1 The research issue 4 1.2 The methodological and interpretive positions 5 1.2.1 Methodological position 5 1.2.2 Interpretive position 6 1.3 Thesis overview 7 1.4 Summary 9 Chapter 2 Methodological position 10 2.1 The research issue 10 2.2 The research context 13 2.2.1 The community: Establishing the boundaries 13 2.2.2 The school 14 2.3 The wider context 16 2.4 Methodological justification 21 2.4.1 Why a meta-theory? Why a social theory 21 2.4.2 Giddens and empirical research 28 2.4.3 Bridging the macro/micro dualism: The theory of structuation 30 2.4.4 Contradictions within the methodological position 39 2.5 The ‘story’ of Jane Pitt 40 2.5.1 The person 41 2.5.2 The teacher/curriculum developer 42 2.5.3 The bureaucrat 43 2.5.4 The teacher 43 2.5.5 The mentor 44 2.5.6 The researcher 44 2.6 Critical case analysis: Why and what 45 2.6.1 Critical case analysis and generalisastions 45 2.6.2 Critical case analysis and data collection 46 2.7 Writing Style 49 2.8 Summary 50 Chapter 3 Social change, schools in ‘new times’ and social justice 51 3.1 The research issue 51 3.2 The problem of social change 53 3.2.1 Change 54 3.2.2 Coping with change 55 3.3 Schools in ‘new times’ 63 3.3.1 The rise of the ‘market’ 63 3.3.2 Implications for schools in ‘new times’ 70 3.3.3 The student in ‘new times’ 75 3.3.4 Curriculum theory 77 3.4 Social justice 81 3.4.1 Social justice in education 82 3.4.2. Social justice as theory: Moral philosophy 84 v 3.5 Summary 89 PART 2 DOMINANT AND MARGINAL CURRENTS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE 90 Chapter 4 The dominant current 92 4.1 The dominant social group: The intellectually trained 94 4.1.1 Community 97 4.1.2 School 102 4.2 Issues related to the rise of the intellectually trained 107 4.2.1 Technology 107 4.2.2 Globalisation 116 4.2.3 Economic rationalism 123 4.2.4 Bureaucratic rationalism 141 4.3 Summary 147 Chapter 5 The Marginal currents 148 5.1 The marginal social groups 148 5.1.1 The ‘story’ of Margaret 148 5.1.2 The unemployed 153 5.1.3 The under-employed 159 5.2 Issues related to marginal social groups 162 5.2.1 Housing 162 5.2.2 The black economy 166 5.2.3 Poverty 167 5.2.4 Rural communities 174 5.3 Summary 178 Chapter 6 A marginal tributary: Some examples of social cohesion 179 6.1 Community issues 180 6.1.1 Co-operation in industry 180 6.1.2 Co-operation in the community 181 6.2 School issues 183 6.2.1 Interpretations of social justice 183 6.2.2 School and socialisation 189 6.2.3 Parent room 191 6.2.4 Class parents 195 6.2.5 parent network 198 6.2.6 Fundraising committee 200 6.3 Summary 202 PART 3 SOCIAL JUSTICE, CULTURAL CHANGE AND CONTRADICTION 203 Chapter 7 The interpretive position 204 7.1 Finding an interpretive position 209 7.2 Defining hegemony 210 7.3 Defining ideology 211 7.4 Culture as a meta-category 212 7.5 Moral philosophy 215 7.5.1 The legacy of Aristotle 215 7.5.2 Bureaucratic individualism 217 vi 7.5.3 Ethics 218 7.6 Social theory 220 7.6.1 Features of the intellectually trained 221 7.6.2 Core values of the intellectually trained 224 7.6.3 Issues of power 226 7.7 Summary 226 Chapter 8 Globalisation 227 8.1 Agribusiness 229 8.1.1 The global market 230 8.1.2 Agriculture restructured 232 8.1.3 Remaking traditions 234 8.1.4 Implications 236 8.2 The new ‘flexible’ worker 239 8.2.1 The intellectualisation of work 240 8.2.2 Education policy and the intelllectualisation of work 240 8.2.3 Retraining programs and the intellectualisation of work 243 8.2.4 social justice and educating the new worker 244 8.3 The new commodities 246 8.3.1 The mass media 247 8.3.2 Commodities and self identity 249 8.3.3 Unfulfilled needs and wants: A contradiction begins to emerge 253 8.4 Summary 254 Chapter 9 Displacement and Social Division 255 9.1 Displacement as a feature of the culture 255 9.1.1 Displacement through employment/unemployment 257 9.1.2 Displacement and the family 261 9.2 Displacement, identity and social justice 263 9.2.1 Security: Beyond economic considerations 264 9.3 A new way of considering social division: Implication for social justice 268 9.3.1 Social class 268 9.3.2 New social movements 270 9.3.3 Social division: Power and social justice 272 9.4 Summary 274 Chapter 10 Social justice and curriculum implications: Some conclusions 276 10.1 An interpretation of social justice 277 10.2 Social justice policy and practice: Curriculum implications 281 10.2.1 Producing the ‘flexible’ worker: A ‘curriculum for economic imperatives’ 282 10.2.2 Educating the person: A ‘curriculum for social responsibility 284 10.2.3 A ‘curriculum for social responsibility’, a ‘curriculum for economic imperatives’: Similarities and differences 290 10.3 Summary 292 Glossary 293 vii Appendix A List of interview questions 296 Appendix B Key policy dates 298 References 299 Bibliography 318 viii List of Abbreviations ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation ACOSS Australian Council of Social Service ACTU Australian Council of Trade Unions AFL Australian Football League ALP Australian Labor Party ATMs Automatic Teller Machines CEO Chief Executive Officer CES Commonwealth Employment Service CLW Community Liaison Worker CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation DECS Department for Education and Childrens Services DEET Department of Employment Education and Training DEETSA Department of Education and Employment South Australia DSP Disadvantaged Schools Program GAS Government Assisted Scholars GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade LEFS Literacy Education Focus Schools NESB Non English Speaking Background OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development PC Person Computer PP Priority Projects SACE South Australian Certificate of Education SCH School Card Holder SDP School Development Plan SJCD Social Justice Curriculum Development SSO School Services Officer TAFE Technical and Further Education VCR Video Cassette Recorder ix List Of Tables Table 2.2.1 Total Population 13 Table 2.2.2a Enrolments and numbers of SCH 14 Table 2.2.2b NESB Students 14 Table 2.2.2c NESB Students Country of Origin 15 Table 2.2.2d Aboriginal Students 15 Table 4.1.1a Occupations 97 Table 4.1.1b Highest Qualification 98 Table 4.1.1c Field of Qualification 99 Table 4.2.1 Workers in Agriculture 110 Table 4.2.2a Total Population 118 Table 4.2.2b People Born Overseas 119 Table 4.2.2c NESB Students at Primary School 121 Table 4.2.2d NESB Students Country of Origin 1993 122 Table 4.2.2e NESB Students Country of Origin 1994 122 Table 5.1.1a Sole Parent Families 149 Table 5.1.1b Income Levels of Sole Parent Families 150 Table 5.1.2a Employment 15 Years + (Full and Part Time) 154 Table 5.1.2b Manufacturing Jobs 155 Table 5.1.3a Employment 15 Year + (Full and Part Time) 159 Table 5.1.3 b Part-time Workers by Gender 160 Table 5.1.3c Part-time Workers by Industry 160 Table 5.2.3a Numbers of SCH 172 Table 5.2.3b Students Eligible for Assistance Through School Card Scheme 173 Table 7 Symbolic and Material Practices Associated with the Olympic Games 205 Table 9.1.1 Percentages of Jobs Created 1966- 1988 259 Table 10.1 Key Themes in Social Justice in ‘New Times’ 278 x Abstract This thesis considers social justice in education in ‘new times’.