The Pedagogy of Debt and the construction of the new educational subject
Georgios Pasias
Page: 1 – 32
Abstract
The concept of “debt” has been a central issue during the current decade (2010-20), connected to various “moments” and dimensions of “crisis” (economic, political, social, educational), both at national and international level. The “grammar of debt” encompasses discourses and practices concerning the “grammar of schooling” as well as new forms of governmentality and of “bio-political control”. ‘Debt’ shapes the “conduct of conduct”, exerts power which teaches, classifies, engraves, manipulates, subjugates, excludes and ‘punishes’. The paper attempts to critically analyze the educational paradigm shift, imposed by the “pedagogy of the debt”, that is controlled by the domination of the ‘market driven ideology’, the financialization of the economy, as well as of the neoliberal “tecno-preneurial” rationale. It will be argued that the hegemonic ideotypes and imaginaries of the “debt society” and the making of the indebted man, the “homo-debitor”, are strictly associated with the formation of a new “state of exception” agenda, leading to an economic and social dystopia and of a risk, precarious and expendable society.