Critical Comparison Paper

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Sociology

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Apr 3, 2024

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SOC 475 Critical Comparison Paper XXXX Student number: XXX October 27, 20XX Introduction This paper critically compares two scholarly sources on education: Henry Giroux's "Dystopian Education in a Neoliberal Society" from Neoliberalism's War on Higher Education and “Neoliberalism and the Crisis in Higher Education: The Cost of Ideology” from American Journal of Economics and Sociology. Both articles diagnose the causes of a social issue in education and prescribe a response to that issue. However, they do so from different theoretical perspectives. Giroux's article is grounded in critical theory, which views education as a site of social reproduction and resistance. He argues that neoliberalism, a political and economic ideology that emphasizes privatization, deregulation, and free markets, is undermining the public good of education and creating a dystopian future for students. Neoliberal policies such as tuition deregulation, cuts to public funding, and the rise of for-profit education have made higher education increasingly inaccessible and unaffordable for many students. Giroux calls for a transformative approach to education that will challenge neoliberalism and create a more just and equitable society. The article by Neoliberalism and the Crisis in Higher Education takes a more structuralist approach, arguing that the crisis in higher education is rooted in the contradictions of capitalism itself. The author argues that capitalism requires a highly educated workforce to function, but it also creates a surplus of educated workers, leading to rising unemployment and underemployment (Mintz, 2021). She also argue that the

commodification of education has led to a decline in its quality and relevance. The author call for a socialist transformation of society, which would involve the democratization of education and the abolition of tuition fees. Theoretical Framework This paper will adopt a theoretical framework of critical theory to compare the two articles on education. Critical theory is a social philosophy that seeks to analyse and challenge power relations in society. It is particularly concerned with how these power relations are reproduced in institutions such as education. Critical theorists argue that education is not simply a neutral process of transmitting knowledge and skills. Rather, it is a political process that serves to reproduce the existing social order. Schools teach students dominant values and ideologies, and they prepare students for their roles in the workforce. Giroux and Harvey both argue that neoliberalism is a dominant ideology and political- economic system that has had a profound impact on education. Neoliberalism is characterized by a belief in the free market, individualism, and limited government intervention. Neoliberal policies in education have led to cuts in funding, increased privatization, and the marketization of education. Critical theory can be used to analyse the two articles on education in a number of ways. First, it can help us to understand how the articles diagnose the causes of the social issue of education. Second, it can help us to understand how the articles prescribe a response to the social issue of education. Third, it can help us to compare and contrast the two articles' theoretical perspectives. Diagnosis of the Causes of the Social Issue Giroux and Harvey agree that neoliberalism is the primary cause of the crisis in education. Giroux argues that neoliberalism has created a "dystopian education" system that is focused on producing docile and compliant workers rather than critical and engaged citizens. He writes: Neoliberalism has transformed education into a commodity, students into

consumers, and teachers into service providers. This has led to a decline in the quality of education, an increase in inequality, and a narrowing of the curriculum (Giroux, 2020). Harvey makes a similar argument, writing that neoliberalism has "commercialized" and "commodified" education. He argues that this has led to a "crisis of legitimacy" in education, as students and faculty become increasingly disillusioned with the system (Harvey, 2005). Prescription for a Response to the Social Issue Giroux and Harvey both offer prescriptions for a response to the crisis in education. Giroux argues that we need to create a "counter-public sphere" of education that is resistant to neoliberal values and ideology. He recommends that we need to create schools that are committed to social justice, democracy, and critical thinking. We need to teach students to question the status quo and to fight for a more just and equitable society (Giroux, 2020). Harvey argues that we need to "re-publicize" education and to restore it as a public good. He suggests that we need to make education more accessible and affordable. We need to invest in public schools and universities. We need to create a more democratic and equitable education system (Harvey, 2005). Critical Comparison Both Giroux and Harvey offer important insights into the impact of neoliberalism on education. However, there are some key differences between their approaches (Mintz, 2021). Giroux's approach is more explicitly political and ideological. He focuses on the need to create a counter-public sphere of education that is resistant to neoliberal values and ideology. Harvey's approach is more focused on the economic and political dimensions of education. He focuses on the need to re-publicize education and to restore it as a public good. Another difference between the two approaches is their focus. Giroux is primarily concerned with K- 12 education, while Harvey is primarily concerned with higher education. However, both

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