Hegemony

Philosophy

Microeconomics

Economic system

Archaeology

Neoliberalism (international relations)

Economics

Meritocracy

Politics

Geography

Political science

Epistemology

Political economy

Sociology

Framing (construction)

Internationalization

Higher education

Social science

Discourse Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education

We explore the role of neoliberalism within portrayals of internationalisation in higher education (HE). Through an analysis of four features of internationalisation, we suggest that they embody a complex entanglement of neoliberal categories and assumptions with other, primarily progressive humanitarian ideals. This framing of internationalisation has three affects. One, humanitarian ideals coupled with neoliberal categories normalise inequalities, turning internationalisation into a meritocratic global race, focusing on celebrating the possibility of the few who can achieve, instead of the embedded inequalities within the system, which disadvantage the many. Two, this allows neoliberal practices to be advanced through the discourse of internationalisation and its association with progressive humanitarian values. Three, this neoliberal framing does not explain the nature of internationalisation of HE in many nations; we demonstrate this by analysing internationalisation in China, Israel and Cuba. We suggest that internationalisation in HE cannot be adequately explained by analyses which rely on neoliberalism.

Neoliberalism, internationalisation and higher education: connections, contradictions and alternatives