10 Educational fixes?
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Michael Donnelly
Abstract
This chapter looks at the role of education in addressing geographic divides that exist within countries. Education is a policy lever that many governments pull, in line with orthodox views on links between human capital and economic growth. This chapter demonstrates that this is often based on a logic of spreading out ‘more of the same’ and leaves the structure of the education system intact – a structure that itself reinforces geographic divides. It is argued that this ‘learning equals earning’ orthodoxy is doomed to fail, because of the way advantaged groups maintain their power, and how they ‘shift the goal posts’ as the population in general becomes more educated. The fundamental problem with the existing education system in countries like the UK is that educational achievements are reflective more of the family you happen to be born into – and not necessarily always reflective of individual talent or capability. A series of proposals are put forward for more fundamental reforms to education and labour markets to allow them to play a more effective role in healing geographic divides.
Abstract
This chapter looks at the role of education in addressing geographic divides that exist within countries. Education is a policy lever that many governments pull, in line with orthodox views on links between human capital and economic growth. This chapter demonstrates that this is often based on a logic of spreading out ‘more of the same’ and leaves the structure of the education system intact – a structure that itself reinforces geographic divides. It is argued that this ‘learning equals earning’ orthodoxy is doomed to fail, because of the way advantaged groups maintain their power, and how they ‘shift the goal posts’ as the population in general becomes more educated. The fundamental problem with the existing education system in countries like the UK is that educational achievements are reflective more of the family you happen to be born into – and not necessarily always reflective of individual talent or capability. A series of proposals are put forward for more fundamental reforms to education and labour markets to allow them to play a more effective role in healing geographic divides.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of figures and tables iv
- Acknowledgements v
- Foreword vi
- Introduction 1
- The problem of geographic divisions 23
- Knowing a place 48
- Places worth knowing 67
- People worth knowing 83
- Place is positional 101
- Place is person-centred 120
- The flawed logics of regional development 139
- Growing local economies 152
- Educational fixes? 168
- Dismantling the borders within 181
- Notes 190
- Index 191
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of figures and tables iv
- Acknowledgements v
- Foreword vi
- Introduction 1
- The problem of geographic divisions 23
- Knowing a place 48
- Places worth knowing 67
- People worth knowing 83
- Place is positional 101
- Place is person-centred 120
- The flawed logics of regional development 139
- Growing local economies 152
- Educational fixes? 168
- Dismantling the borders within 181
- Notes 190
- Index 191
