Governing education policy in a globalising world : the sphere of authority of the Pakistani State
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Date
26/11/2009Author
Ali, Sajid
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Abstract
This thesis explores the degree of independent action possible by national
governments in deciding their education policies – in other words, what may be
termed their sphere of authority (SoA) – in the context of globalisation; whereby
Pakistan, perhaps more than many nation states, is subject to a variety of geopolitical
and economic pressures. This issue is explored through a study of the recent
education policy review process in Pakistan that resulted in a White Paper:
‘Education in Pakistan’ in 2007. In exploring the SoA of the government of Pakistan
in deciding its education policy priorities, key areas of enquiry include the tensions
between national and global interests and their attempted discursive management by
the government of Pakistan. The research uses Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as
its main methodological resource and looks at two kinds of textual data: interviews
with key policy actors and selected policy texts. The methodology of CDA draws
attention to the fact that texts are embedded within linguistic, discursive and
structural contexts, and that these contexts provide resources that are mobilized by
different actors. The textual data resources were analysed to see how language
shapes the construction of the White Paper; what discourses are being drawn upon
and contested in the articulation of the White Paper and thus what broad power
structures shape the White Paper and illustrate the SoA of the government of
Pakistan.
The findings suggest that the policy review process as illustrated by the White Paper
reveals various tensions caused by differences between global and national education
policy interests. These tensions are visible in the style and genre of policy; the
pursuit of global policy prescriptions; trends to privatization of provision; and
disputes over the issue of language and about the ideological principles that should
inform educational provision. The research suggests that inclusive and ‘soft’
governance discourse along with a process of consultation were used by the
government in an attempt to manage these tensions. The expertise with which the
government designed the consultation process and deployed discursive resources
sought to establish and maintain its SoA.