Page 111 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 1-2: The Language of Neoliberal Education, ed. Mitja Sardoč
P. 111
. štremfel ■ european neoliberal discourse and slovenian educational space
modes of regulating educational policy, with real effects on policy and
practice in national systems of education (Dale and Robertson, 2012).
Here, the article does not examine neoliberal ideas and their value bases,
origins, constructions and implications but is rather focused on commu-
nicative discourse through which ideas are translated to the national level
(Alexiadou, 2016: p. 3; Schmidt, 2008). A case study on Slovenia is an in-
teresting endeavour because it helps us ascertain how EU neoliberal edu-
cational discourse is received at the national level and how these influence
the transformation and development of the post-socialist educational sys-
tem (Silova, 2009).
The article originates primarily from policy studies, which are rec-
ognised as important meso-level theories for explaining Europeanisation.
It is qualitatively oriented and draws on theoretical and empirical evi-
dence. To address the research aim, we employ the following methods:
(a) an analysis of relevant literature and secondary sources (a comprehen-
sive review of the academic literature on EU (neoliberal) governance), (b)
an analysis of formal documents and legal sources at the EU and nation-
al levels (an analysis of Slovenian educational legislation, EU official doc-
uments in the field of educational policy, non-official documents, press
releases), (f) questionnaire distribution [mailed questionnaires that were
sent to Slovenian educational experts who are also active at the EU/inter-
national level (n = 22), educational policy makers (n = 8), and stakehold-
ers (headmasters) (n = 91)] (Štremfel, 2013).3
The first section is a review of theoretical considerations and empir-
ical evidence on EU (neoliberal) educational governance as governance
of goals, comparisons, problems/crisis and knowledge. In the second sec-
tion, we focus on theoretical considerations of discursive institutional-
ism and its implications for Europeanization research. The third section
deals with empirical evidence regarding the reception of the EU neolib-
eral governance discourse in the Slovenian educational space. Finally, the
main findings are synthesised to serve as an explanation of relative open-
ness of Slovenia towards EU neoliberal discourse and the implications of
these insights for the understanding of the widening and deepening of the
European educational space.
European Neoliberal Educational Governance
A number of authors (e.g. Walters and Haahr, 2005; Mitchell, 2006; Dale,
2008; Lange and Alexiadou, 2010; Gunter et al., 2016) have confirmed
that the EU governance in the field of education policies has deeply rooted
3 We found questionnaires distributed for the purpose of the study (Štremfel, 2013) particu-
larly interesting for illustrating theoretical premises of this article.
109
modes of regulating educational policy, with real effects on policy and
practice in national systems of education (Dale and Robertson, 2012).
Here, the article does not examine neoliberal ideas and their value bases,
origins, constructions and implications but is rather focused on commu-
nicative discourse through which ideas are translated to the national level
(Alexiadou, 2016: p. 3; Schmidt, 2008). A case study on Slovenia is an in-
teresting endeavour because it helps us ascertain how EU neoliberal edu-
cational discourse is received at the national level and how these influence
the transformation and development of the post-socialist educational sys-
tem (Silova, 2009).
The article originates primarily from policy studies, which are rec-
ognised as important meso-level theories for explaining Europeanisation.
It is qualitatively oriented and draws on theoretical and empirical evi-
dence. To address the research aim, we employ the following methods:
(a) an analysis of relevant literature and secondary sources (a comprehen-
sive review of the academic literature on EU (neoliberal) governance), (b)
an analysis of formal documents and legal sources at the EU and nation-
al levels (an analysis of Slovenian educational legislation, EU official doc-
uments in the field of educational policy, non-official documents, press
releases), (f) questionnaire distribution [mailed questionnaires that were
sent to Slovenian educational experts who are also active at the EU/inter-
national level (n = 22), educational policy makers (n = 8), and stakehold-
ers (headmasters) (n = 91)] (Štremfel, 2013).3
The first section is a review of theoretical considerations and empir-
ical evidence on EU (neoliberal) educational governance as governance
of goals, comparisons, problems/crisis and knowledge. In the second sec-
tion, we focus on theoretical considerations of discursive institutional-
ism and its implications for Europeanization research. The third section
deals with empirical evidence regarding the reception of the EU neolib-
eral governance discourse in the Slovenian educational space. Finally, the
main findings are synthesised to serve as an explanation of relative open-
ness of Slovenia towards EU neoliberal discourse and the implications of
these insights for the understanding of the widening and deepening of the
European educational space.
European Neoliberal Educational Governance
A number of authors (e.g. Walters and Haahr, 2005; Mitchell, 2006; Dale,
2008; Lange and Alexiadou, 2010; Gunter et al., 2016) have confirmed
that the EU governance in the field of education policies has deeply rooted
3 We found questionnaires distributed for the purpose of the study (Štremfel, 2013) particu-
larly interesting for illustrating theoretical premises of this article.
109
