Textual strategies of representation and legitimation in new labour policy discourse

Jane Mulderrig

pp. 135-150

in: Anthony Green, Glenn Rikowski, Helen Raduntz (eds), Renewing dialogues in Marxism and education, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007

Abstract

This chapter presents a critical discourse analysis of education policy texts issued under the New Labour government. The analysis focuses on the discourse representation of key educational actors, as well as the discourse strategies by which policy decisions are legitimated. In order to interpret the sociological significance of the findings, the data is interpreted in relation to its wider socioeconomic context. It is postulated that a broadly instrumental rationality underlies the representation of educational actors. This is theorized as an indicator of a general shift toward the commodification of education that stems in part from a subordination of social to economic policy. Furthermore, the texts build an inclusive and vague social identity for the government, which is shown to play a significant role in constructing an apparent consensus over neoliberal policy statements.