Glenn Rikowski

Post-Imaginary Research

Interview with Glenn Rikowski Glenn Rikowski interviewed by Siyaveş Azeri and Ali C. Gedik Marxism & Sciences: A Journal of Nature, Culture, Human and Society, Volume 2 Issue 1 (2023), pp.178-184. For a PDF of all of the interviews, see: https://marxismandsciences.org/interviews-rethinking-the-foundations-of-marxism-and-ilyenkovian-contributions/...

This is a critique of Luis Arboledas-Lérida's article "The Gap Between Science and Society and the Intrinsically Capitalistic Character of Science Communication”—https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2022.2111670—for the Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective. Arboledas-Lérida's article was published in 'Social Epistemology' online on 21 Septem...

This is Chapter 26 in the 'Encyclopaedia of Marxism and Education', edited by Alpesh Maisuria, published by Brill (Leiden & Boston), pp.417-434. The chapter advances an Open Marxist (as opposed to a Closed Marxist) perspective on education.

Published in: Discourse-P, 18(4), 10-28. In Russian https://doi.org/10.17506/18179568_2021_18_4_10 Abstract: The article rests substantially on the work of John Holloway, especially his early articles in Common Sense: Journal of the Edinburgh Conference of Socialist Economists. On this foundation, it is argued that the importance of Marxism resid...

This article explores how the UK Conservative Government's Department for Education is taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to restructure higher education in England towards labour-power production. There is nothing new in UK governments seeking to reshape higher education for labour-power development. But under cover of apparent concern for...

"On 17 March 2021 we invited all authors of ‘Teaching in the Age of Covid-19’ (Jandrić et al. 2020) to reflect on their pandemic experience 1 year later.3 Mirroring the original article’s format, in ‘Teaching in the Age of Covid-19—1 Year Later’, we requested short testimonies, biographies, and workspace photographs. In numbers, the 1-year-later co...

In his classic 'The Condition of the Working Class in England' (1845), Friedrich Engels argued that workers engaged in industrial action gained knowledge of economic processes, tactical awareness in struggles and grasped the value of solidarity in the face of employers' assaults on pay and working conditions. These struggles constituted "schools of...

Glenn Rikowski is interviewed by Bulent Avci for the journal 'Rethinking Critical Pedagogy', Volume 2 Issue 1, pp.93-117, March 2021. The topics Avci invites Rikowski to address include: Marxist educational theory; critical pedagogy; social justice and education; Critical Race Theory; education and social class; neoliberalism; neoliberalism and edu...

What is crisis, anyway? What is the significance of neoliberalism for contemporary crises, especially educational ones? What does ‘education crisis’ signify in contemporary society? This chapter addresses these questions and uncovers the danger inherent in capitalist crises for capital itself.

The Classical Theory of Education Crisis is the default theory utilised by educational theorists for understanding the constitution and explanation of education crises in contemporary society. Following a brief outline of the concept of crisis, and the histiography of the notion of education crisis from the Second World War to the neoliberal recess...

There is an antagonistic dynamic within the human in contemporary society: the struggle of labour and capital, the capital relation, is within us. This is the psychology of capital, which also entails that the class struggle – as the capital relation – also runs through us and fractures and divides our personhoods. It is argued that this monstrous...

Este artigo argumenta que o trabalho na sociedade capitalista está impregnado de fundamentos trágicos e expressões práticas: limita o que somos como seres humanos e o que podemos nos tornar. Pois, “a mediocridade prevalece hoje, reduzindo nossa visão de túnel a (o que nos é apresentado como) realidade” (DINERSTEIN, 2020, p. 7). O trabalho capitalis...

This is a verbatim transcript of the Call for Testimonies sent out on 17 March 2020 to thePostdigital Science and Educationmailing list and posted on social networking sites.

The argument of this paper is that, insofar as education is tied to the social production of labour-power in capitalism, or is infused with the business takeover of education, then, by default, it is in a tragic condition. This argument is pursued in conjunction with an exploration of some aspects of the literature on tragedy. The tragedy of labour...

These notes are for a seminar with second year Education Studies students at the University of East London, Stratford Campus, on 20th November 2019. The first Part of these notes focuses on this micro-level: commodity forms, the basic, elemental phenomena of capitalist society. Part Two explores one of these commodity forms, the general class of c...

This article outlines some ideas that can be used in a project of educational subversion that seeks to relate particular educational phenomena to the constitution of capitalist society. These phenomena are elements of what I have previously (RIKOWSKI, 2003b; 2005c) called the ‘business takeover of schools’. Indeed, I have never really provided a su...

Accounts of education crises typically start out from the notion that these are derivative of economic crises. Hard times for capitalist economies – with recession and consequent shortfalls in tax takes as unemployment rises – leads to cutback in budgets for state services. The victims of these cuts are schools, colleges, universities, and students...

To date research and scholarship on privatisation in education lacks critical depth and intensity. Many accounts have been largely descriptive, focusing on how privatisation takes place, or on the threat of privatisation, or its insertion within education systems. Furthermore, work on educational commodification has been substantially dissociated f...

Published in: Eleştirel Pedagoji, No.60, pp.37-54 (2019). The article rests substantially on the work of John Holloway, especially his early articles in Common Sense: Journal of the Edinburgh Conference of Socialist Economists. On this foundation, it is argued, firstly, that the importance of Marxism resides in its capacity to pinpoint fragilities...

Aldo Ocampo González interviews Glenn Rikowski on a number of issues relating to Critical Pedagogy, Inclusive Education and Marxism. The interview was published in Izquierdas, no.45, (February), pp.260-276, 2019. Article: https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-50492019000100260&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en Journal Home: https://ww...

In this dialogue, two educational theorists discuss a range of topics at the nexus of Marxism and education, exploring the rich and diverse paths traversed within and around Marxist educational theory. The first part consists of a synthesis of their own trajectories and how they fit into broader social movements and political and academic conversat...

The article rests substantially on the work of John Holloway, especially his early articles in Common Sense: Journal of the Edinburgh Conference of Socialist Economists. On this foundation, it is argued, firstly, that the importance of Marxism resides in its capacity to pinpoint fragilities and weaknesses in the constitution, development and rule o...

Why Marxism? Why Marxist educational theory? Through addressing these questions, this paper proclaims the importance of Marxism as a theory that intellectually disrupts and ruptures capitalist society and its educational forms. With reference to the work of John Holloway, it is argued that the significance of Marxism resides in its capacity to pinp...

Interview on Marxism, Critical Pedagogy and Inclusive Education: Discussions for a Revolutionary Discourse, publicada en Izquierdas, 45, febrero 2019:260-276

Os trabalhos e pesquisas sobre a privatização da educaçãotêm passado ao largo de seu significado mais importante: o desenvolvimentodo capital através da profunda capitalização da educação.A discussão sobre a privatização educacional geralmente ignora suaimplicação na produção social da força de trabalho. Com base emKarl Marx, esta contribuição leva...

This is the second paper prepared for the International Seminar for Public Pedagogies, on 'Crisis and Education', International Centre for Public Pedagogies (ICPuP), University of East London, Stratford Campus, 21st Feburary 2018. It is set around the notion that education crisis can constitute crises for capital.

RESUMO: Este artigo argumenta que as tentativas de entender a mercantilização da educação e da pesquisa educacional, sem recorrer ao maior pensador sobre as formas de mercadoria - Karl Marx -, inevitavelmente levam a confusões e a deturpações na teoria educacional. Isso é demonstrado por meio de uma crítica a um artigo recente de David Bridges (20...

To date research and scholarship on privatisation in education lacks critical depth and intensity. Many accounts have been largely descriptive, focusing on how privatisation takes place, or on the threat of privatisation, or its insertion within education systems. Furthermore, work on educational commodification has been substantially dissociated f...

The Classical Theory of Education Crisis is the default theory utilised by educational theorists for understanding the constitution and explanation of education crises in contemporary society. Following a brief outline of the concept of crisis, and the histiography of the notion of education crisis from the Second World War to the neoliberal recess...

At the 2017 Annual Conference of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) David Bridges presented a most timely paper: On the Commodification of Educational Research (Bridges, 2017). He is to be congratulated on exploring this topic. Analyses and discourse on commodification in education in the Journal of Philosophy of Education...

‘Crisis’ is a concept increasingly used in media reports on education. This paper argues that philosophers of education have a unique contribution to make regarding the nature and constitution of education crisis. Thus, they have a responsibility to take up the challenge of developing perspectives on education crises. Following examinations of the...

This is an original theory of social time, based on Karl Marx's notion of socially necessary labour-time. It indicates how social time speeds up, and can slow down, on the foundation of socially necessary labour-time. Although the paper does not address Accelerationsim directly, nevertheless, it has serious negative implications for this wayward pe...

A paper prepared for the Research in Critical Education Studies (RiCES) Seminar, School of Education, University of Lincoln, 19th November 2015

A paper prepared for the Philosophy of Education Seminars at the University of London Institute of Education 2014-15 Programme,

This paper was presented to the Teacher Education Research Group in the Cass School of Education and Communities at the University of East London (UEL) on 22nd March 2012. I would like to thank Gerry Czerniawski for inviting me to speak at UEL. A second draft of the paper was produced on 3rd April: a few references were added, a couple of points we...

A paper prepared for the Praxix & Pedagogy Research Seminar, The Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media (GradCAM), Dublin, Ireland, 25th May 2011

“Eğer insan hak ve eşitliğinin büyük ve zengin anlamı dünyanın her tarafındaki mağdur insanların umutlarında yansıyacaksa eğitim ve toplumsal reformla ilgili hakiki bir düşünce yenilenmesi Marksist teorinin yeniden canlandırılmasından geçmek zorundadır. Eğitim hali hazırda şirketlerin önderliğindeki küresel kapitalizmin kaderine ve onun azgın birik...

In: El trabajo en debate. Una investigación sobre la teoría y la realidad del trabajo capitalista Compiladores: Ana C. Dinerstein, Michael Neary | Ediciones Herramienta, Buenos Aires, 2009 | 304 páginas | ISBN 978-987-1505-09-8

A paper written for students on the EDU3004 module, 'Education, Culture & Society', Education Studies, School of Education, University of Northampton, 25th September 2008

A paper prepared for the EDU3004 module, 'Education, Culture & Society', Education Studies, School of Education, University of Northampton, 24th February 2008

This is a paper of two halves. Part One is concerned primarily with charting the development of Marxist educational theory from 1970 to the present day. It is argued that there are three periods in this development: a "Classical Age‟ of Marxist educational theory starting from 1970 and ending in 1982 (with a peak in the mid-late-1970s); a decade of...

This book is the first in the Palgrave Macmillan Marxism and Education Series. Both the book and the series arose from the Marxism and Education: Renewing Dialogues (MERD) seminars initiated by us at the Institute of Education, University of London in 2002. The seminar series emerged at a point of our recognition of a somewhat bleak time for Marxis...

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of 1994 seems to have a strange kind of social existence. It appears to be a shadowy force, with massive potential to disrupt, undermine, and transfigure public services—yet distanced from their privatization. The GATS’ substantive impact is in some doubt, as many go...

Under the cover of writing a Review Essay, Michael Apple (2006) has embarked on a wide-ranging critique of certain perceived trends within contemporary Marxist educational theory and research. He argues that emerging now within this field are 'Bowles and Gintis look-alikes' (after Bowles and Gintis, 1976), but who are less knowledgeable in economic...

This paper works out a specifically Marxist notion of class and then relates it to education.

This issue of Information for Social Change is a Special Issue on 'Education for Social Change'. The concept of 'education for social change' suggests something positive, forward-looking and radical - but it need not be so. The social change that is the reference point could be concerned with what Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels called the 'real mov...

"Paula, Dave, Glenn ve Mike bugünlerde pek moda olmayan bir rejimi uygulayan, Marksist eleştiri yiyip içerek yaşayan dört yetişkin. Bu anlamda onları bilinen anlamda akademisyen diye tanımlamak doğru değildir; onlar daha çok işçi sınıfıyla beraber ve onun için çatışma vakti geldiğinde herşeylerini ortaya koyan organik aydınlardır. Ben bu beşli çete...

This paper is concerned with some of the silences in New Labour‟s Five Year Strategy for education (DfES, 2004a). The focus is on four particular absences: federations of schools, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), human capital, and companies making profits from running educational services. The first three are surprising in their omission, esp...

For those interested in exploring relations between education and social class from a Marxist perspective, or, more accurately examining education as an aspect of ‘class’, these are interesting times. This is a passionate critique of the militarization and corporatization of social life in all its myriad dimensions, and generates an anti-imperialis...

This paper outlines the movement from New Labour’s interest in federations of schools, as first set out in the Education Bill of November 2001 (Her Majesty’s Government, 2001) to foundation partnerships in the recent Five Year Strategy (DfES, 2004a), and finally to more recent statements from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) regarding...

This paper presents an outline of a particular Marxist approach to the study of education in contemporary society.

With reference to Karl Marx’s writings on education, this article outlines the education of the future as anti-capitalist education. In starting out from a conception of communism as the ‘real movement which abolishes the present state of things’ (Marx), it is argued that the anti-capitalist education of the future consists of three moments: critiq...

This article aims at focusing on the GATS and its influence over state schools in England. The two first sections provide an overview of the GATS and the WTO. The third section deals with the implications and effects of these agreements to public schools. The conclusion is that every aspect of our lives is potentially open to capital invasion and t...

Private sector involvement in school life is increasing: a process of commodification is taking over schools and local education authorities.The New Labour government is supporting businesses in this enterprise.This article examines the ways in which businesses are commodifying the school system and why it is happening, and indicates some of the fo...

A paper prepared for the Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU) Research Seminar, 'Education for Profit: Private Sector Participation in Public Education', Institute of Education, University of London, 27th November 2002

Glenn Rikowski argues that the government's 'business virusing' of schools could lead to disastrous consequences for education when combined with the disciplinary neo-liberal straitjacket of the WTO's GATS framework.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic American novel, The Great Gatsby, the pivotal figure, Jay Gatsby is elusive, hard to pin down. Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald plays off the relation between illusion and reality. Gatsby organises parties and sometimes doesn't turn up for them. He is distanced from his own creations and effects. The World Trade Organisat...

This chapter summarises the book's key arguments on the critique of postmodernism in educational theory from a Marxist perspective. Critical educators need an engagement with postmodernism since that can deepen the conceptual reservoirs of Marxist theories by pointing out the limitations of such thought. If this engagement is successful it must eve...

We hope this book helps to fuel debate within the educational Left internationally regarding the need for useful theoretical work for the movement. We also offer our readers some propositions on this score. First, we hold that Marxist educational theory has a key role in generating ideas that challenge educational orthodoxies and ‘justifications’ f...

A paper prepared for the School of Education, University College Northampton, Research Seminar

A paper prepared for the House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs Inquiry into the Global Economy, 22nd January 2002. This paper examines the nature of globalisation and analyses its consequences for education. The paper explores the proposition that "globalisation‟ is essentially capitalist globalisation: the globalisation of capital,...

As opposed to a social theory of time, this chapter generates a theory of social time based on the works and ideas of Karl Marx, Albert Einstein, Barbara Adam, Philip Turetzky, and Moishe Postone.

This book is powered by three drives: first, the critique of postmodernism (with special reference to educational theory); second, the rethinking and renewing of Marxist educational theory after postmodernism; and third, the generation of a politics of human resistance to capitalist social life and its educational forms.

Review Symposium of, 'Choice, Pathways and Transitions Post-16: New Youth, New Economics in the Global City' by Stephen Ball, Meg Maguire and Sheila Macrae

Review Symposium of, 'Choice, Pathways and Transitions Post-16: New Youth, New Economics in the Global City' by Stephen Ball, Meg Maguire and Sheila Macrae

This paper explores Marx's brief analysis of social class at the end of 'Capital' volume III, just before 'the manuscript broke off'. It argues against reducing 'social class' to Weberian and mainstream sociological notions of stratification. An alternative is to see the labour-capital relation, a category of struggle within capitalist society, as...

New Labour's first term education policy was a softening-up process for opening schools up to capital. Glenn Rikowski explains how the Blair government intends to go much further this time.

A paper presented at a Guest Lecture in Sociology of Education, The Gillian Rose Room, University of Warwick, Coventry. After a brief history of Marxist educational theory, the paper indicates how education and training in contemporary society are implicated in the social production of labour-power. Labour-power is unique in capitalist society as i...

Three Marxist educational theorists - Mike Cole, Dave Hill and Glenn Rikowski - interviewed by Peter McLaren

This paper uncovers the “deep structure” within New Labour’s Green Paper, 'Schools: Building on Success' (DfEE, 2001). It does this through focusing on the issues of human capital, employers’ educational needs and business as they figure in the Green Paper.

Employer criticism of British school-leavers is long-standing. Coherent statements by employers regarding their educational ‘needs’ have not materialised; employers’ accounts concerning such needs are typically confused or contradictory. This paper formulates a ‘filter’ enabling better understanding of industry’s educational needs. The starting poi...

If our society is to meet the twin challenge of economic regeneration and social cohesion, then it will require a renaissance in learning (ECIFAST 1994, Cooley 1993). A globalising economy, increased flexibility of employment and rapidly changing labour markets will require citizens of the 21st century to continually renew the capabilities that wil...

This dialogue between Peter McLaren (UCLA) and Glenn Rikowski (University of Central England, Birmingham) was conducted by e-mail during January - February 2001. References added.

This paper was prepared for the Birkbeck College Seminar Series on 'Marx, Individuals & Society' on 26th October 2000. It argues that transhumanists have avoided certain developments in contemporary society that indicate that humans are already transhuman to the extent that they are becoming 'human capital'. In this account, human capital is the ca...

A paper for the Symposium on: 'If We Aren't Pursuing Improvement, What Are We Doing?', Convened by Joanna Swann.

A paper prepared for 'CSE 2000', Conference of Socialist Economists, 'Global Capital and Global Struggles: Strategies, Alliances, Alternatives', 1 -2 July 2000, University of London Union (ULU), Malet Street, London.

This paper reports on research carried out for The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, 'The Current State of the Horological Industry in Britain Today'. In particular, it focuses on the education, training and recruitment of horologists in ten horological industry sectors. There is also analysis on how the UK horological industry is globalised and r...

This paper generates a theory of social time based on Karl Marx's concept of socially necessary labour-time. In the process, it critiques mainstream sociological theories of time.