Introduction to Neoliberalism, Inequality and Education: inequity by design

Jenny Chesters

Chapter 1 in Neoliberalism, Inequality and Education, 2026, pp 1-20 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The marketisation of education in countries that have adopted neoliberal policies suggests that education is no longer regarded as a public good, one that governments invest in for the benefit of all members of society, but as a private good, one that benefits the individual who invests in their own education. The degree to which the adoption of neoliberal economic policies over the past four decades has impacted on inequity in education systems differs according to the pre-existing structure of the education system from early childhood through to tertiary education, the political system in place, and the importance of high levels of education for the distribution of economic, cultural and social resources. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of social justice, this chapter examines how structural inequalities, exacerbated by neoliberal policies, act as barriers that make it more difficult for young people from socially disadvantaged families to achieve high levels of education.

Keywords: Inequity; Social Justice; Neoliberalism; Marketisation; Education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035363711
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