Routledge Economy, Work, and Education: Critical Connections (Routledge Advances in Management and Business Studies)

Economy, Work and Education: Critical Connections addresses effects of neoliberal capitalism in particular regard to work and education. The book elaborates key aspects and problems of generalized policy models of knowledge-based economies and learning societies in contexts of liberalized firm action, accelerated competitiveness and labor market flexibility. It discusses limits and paradoxes of higher skilled, knowledge-based economies which include significant disparities in labor market absorption of higher level skills, a deterioration of qualitative conditions of work and a re-subordination of workers. This volume provides a research-intensive crossing of these fields to contribute a closer disciplinary and scholarly dialogue between interested thinkers across fields who too often must labor and converse apart. It offers the vantage point afforded by traversing old boundaries and exploring concerns shared by many scholars and researchers in international circles in pursuit of social and cultural innovation in the governance of work and education and advancing wider social debate Review ‘With her empirical critique of the neo-liberal dogmas that dominate employment policies today, Catherine Casey has re-asserted the importance of social values not only for education but for work itself.’ – James Wickham, Trinity College Dublin ‘It is a brave soul who invites us to see a pernicious side to the idea of a 'knowledge-based economy'; so central has that idea become to both exponents of the neo-liberal hegemony and those who seek to humanize it. Catherine Casey is one such brave soul. She here documents in a highly scholarly way both the factual limitations to the idea and its less than benign implications for education, work and citizenship. Future enthusiasts for the knowledge-based economy will need to come to terms with her challenge.’ Colin Crouch, Professor of Governance and Public Management, University of Warwick Business School, UK About the Author Catherine Casey is a sociologist and Professor of Organization and Society at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. She was formerly at the School of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.