The (im)possibility of intellectual work in neoliberal regimes by demandside

inNeoliberalRegimes

BronwynDavies*

UniversityofWesternSydney,Australia

Inthispaperacritiqueofneoliberalregimeswithinuniversitiesisdeveloped.Neoliberaldiscourse isdeconstructedandthedangersofitforintellectualworkareconsidered.Neoliberalsubjects (thosesubjectedthroughneoliberaldiscourses)aredefinedandguidelinesforthinkingabout educationwithin(andagainst)neoliberalregimesaredeveloped.

DonWatson(2003)describestheall-pervasivelanguageofneoliberalmanagerialism as‘‘unabletoconveyanyhumanemotion,includingthemostbasiconessuchas happiness,sympathy,greed,envy,loveorlust.Youcannot’’hesays‘‘tellajokeinthis language,orwriteapoem,orsingasong.Itisalanguagewithouthumanprovenance orpossibility’’(p.15).Yetitisthelanguagethroughwhichmostorganizations currentlydefinethemselves,includinguniversities.Inadoptingthisneoliberal languagewedon’tknow,andwehaven’tknownforsometime,whetherwehave justadoptedsomesuperficialandlaughablelanguagethatwillappeasegovernment, orwhethertheprofessionalknowledgethatguidesandinformsteachingandlearning isreshapedinneoliberalterms.Isuggestinthispaperthatitisveryriskytobuyinto, uncritically,thelanguageofthosewhowouldgovernusthroughthemanipulationof fundsandthetyingofdollarvaluestoeachaspectofourwork.Inspeakingourselves intoexistenceasacademics,withinneoliberaldiscourse,wearevulnerabletoitand toitsindifferencetousandtoourthought.Itcanbecomethediscoursethrough whichwe,notquiteoutofchoiceandnotquiteoutofnecessity,makejudgements, formdesires,maketheworldintoaparticularkindof(neoliberal)place.

Anecessarystepinrefusingthesenewconditionsofourexistenceistobeawareof thediscoursesthroughwhichwearespokenandspeakourselvesintoexistence.We mustfindthelinesoffaultinandfracturethosediscourses.Andthen,inthosespaces offracture,speaknewdiscourses,newsubjectpositions,intoexistence.AsButler (1992,p.13)says,the‘‘subjectisneitheragroundnoraproduct,butthepermanent possibilityofacertainresignifyingprocess’’.

Whatthencanwesaythatacademicworkis?Withinneoliberalregimeswecanno longersayitisthelifeoftheintellectandoftheimagination /apositioningfrom

*SchoolofEducationandEarlyChildhood,BankstownCampus,UniversityofWesternSydney, LockedBag1797,PenrithSouthDC,NSW1797,Australia.Email:Bronwyn.Davies@uws.edu.au ISSN0159-6306(print)/ISSN1469-3739(online)/05/010001-14

# 2005Taylor&FrancisGroupLtd

DOI:10.1080/01596300500039310

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whichtheculturewilldrawbothsustenanceandcritique,apositioningfromwhich wecanspeakandbeheard,andwhichcarrieswithittheweightyresponsibilityof doingmorethanmimicthewisewordsofothers,morethanpickupthethreadsof whatisalreadythere,morethansuccumbtowhatsuccessiveneoliberalgovernments thinktheywant.Tocritiqueisriskywork,notjustbecauseitmightalienatethose whoaredeeplyattachedto,orpersonallyimplicatedin,thediscoursestobeplaced underscrutinybutalsobecausetodrawattentiontotheverytermsthroughwhich existenceismadepossible,tobegintodismantlethoseverytermswhilestill dependingonthemforsharedmeaningmaking /evenforsurvival /requiresakind ofdaring,awillingnesstoenvisagethenotyetknownandtomakevisiblethefaults, theeffectsofthealreadyknown.

AtthebeginningofmyacademiclifemyHeadofDepartmentprevaricatedabout promotingmefromtutortotemporarylecture.AfterweeksofwaitingIaskedhim hadhemadeuphismind,andhetoldmeitwasadifficultdecisiontomake,sincein hisviewwomenshouldremaininservicepositions.Histhinking,hisjudgement,his emotions,nodoubtdeeplyfeltinhisgut,wereshapedbythatparticulargendered discourse.Itwasnotpossible,then,forhimtoreasonhiswayoutofit.That dominant,indifferentdiscoursethatdividedmenandwomenandplacedmeninthe ascendanthadcolonizedhissoulandmadeitimpossible,atthetime,forhimtosee otherwise.Mypointhereisnottosneerathisoldfashionednarrowmindedness,but tocomprehendhowitisthatdiscoursescolonizeus /giftinguswithourexistence andshapingourdesires,ourbeliefsinwhatisright /thethingswearepreparedto diefor.Thosediscourseschange,butonlyafteragreatdealofindividualand collectiveworkhasbeendone.Inunderstandingtheconstitutiveforceofany discoursewecanbegintheworkofseeinghowtodismantleit,whenwefind ourselvescontrolledbyadiscoursethatrunsagainstconscienceandstifles consciousness.

Youcouldsaythatitisavitalpartofacademicwork,tounderstandthedominantand indifferentdiscoursesthroughwhichinequalitiesofvariouskindsareputinplaceand heldinplaceandtoexplorethemeansofdisruptingthem,over-writingthem,of speakingadifferentkindofexistenceintobeing.Workingtowardsdismantlingspecific gendereddiscourseshasbeenonepartofwhatIhavedoneinmywork.Themore importantparthasbeenthistaskofteasingoutanunderstandingofhowthe constitutiveworktakesplace(Davies,2000a,2003a),howwearesubjected,andof envisaginghowwemightbothfindforourselves,andgranttothestudentsinour educationsystems,thecapacitytoseeandtocritiquethediscoursesthroughwhichthey areconstituted.Ihaveinvitedstudentstolistenagainstthegrainofthosedominantand indifferentdiscoursesthroughwhichtheyandweareconstituted,tobegintheveryhard workofthinkinghowthey,andwe,mightbeotherwise(Davies,2003b).

Inmybook (In)scribingbody/landscaperelations (Davies,2000b)Iexploredtherole ofliteratureandartinshiftingthosetermsofexistence.Opera,forexample,can openupavisionofsomethingnew,apassionandalongingforsomethingnew,atthe sametimeasitrevealstheintractabilityofthediscursiveforcesthatholdtheold orderinplace.ConsiderOthello,apaganblackmanwhopresumedtomarrythefair,

Christianwomanandfindhappiness.Hedisruptsthedominantsocial,racialized order,andwefindourselvesasanaudiencebothlongingforhimtosucceedand knowingthathecan’t.Suchdoubledmomentsgiveusavisionofsomething new /withablowtotheheadandtheheart /whilethecharacterhimselfislost.His embodiedbeingisthegroundonwhichthe(im)possibilityisworkedout.Catherine Cle´mentasksprovocatively:

HowcouldhethewretchedMoor,havekepttheblondewhitewoman?Howcan onemakethecharmofwarstorieslastafterbecomingahusband?Howcanhe retrievethissodistantdistancebetweenhimandher,thepathsofpassingcomets intersectinginthesky,thetrajectoryoftremendousmovementsacrosstheuniverse? Surmounting,mounting,hesings,higherandhigher.Hestraddlesher.Andthe astonishingtenorvoicerisestothelimitsofpossibility,toVenusshiningabovethe Greekisland.AndDesdemona’svoiceharmonizes,lowerbyathird.Theirorder, aboveandbelow,istheorderofmenandwomen;unlessthisvoice /thatistoo high /isthesymbolofitsownfailure.FortheMoorofVenice,men’sorderis untenable.(Cle´ment,1989,p.123)

Itisinthedoublenessofthismomentintheperformancethatweknowboththe knowledgeofanotherdesiredsocialorderandtheintransigentforceoftheexisting racialorder,counteractingthenew.Othellosingssublimely /hetakesuswithhim, intotheachingheartofhimself,asheistakeninbythemachinationsofthosewho cannotstandthefactofablackhero,ablackherowhohas,moreover,capturedthe heartofthewhiteChristianwoman.Ashisaudiencewewanthimtosee,todiscover, thatheisbeingmanipulatedbeforeitistoolate,beforehekillsthewomanwhose hearthehaswon.Wewantthislovetosurvive.Inthismomentwelongforthe impossible,asocialorderthatiscolourblind,thatisjust,andaherowhocanread againstthegrainofthosewhowouldbringhimdown.

Whatisitwelongfor,then,inuniversities?Andwhatpartdoesneoliberalismplay inshapingourlonging,orincounteractingit /evenobliteratingit?Whatkindof socialfabricisitthatneoliberalismenvisages?

Atfirstglanceneoliberalismmightseemtobevalueblind.Keatingworkedto implementitwhileatthesametimebuildingupaliberalstoryoftheAustralian peopleas‘‘apeoplewhohadsufferedbuthadovercome.[Who]hadtriumphedover theirtribulationsandprejudicestoembracediversityandtolerancewithan egalitariangenerositythatwouldenablethemtoengagetheirAsianneighbours andflourishintheopen,globalisedeconomy’’(Macintyre&Clark,2003,p.11). Howardhasprogressedthesameneoliberalagendawhilescrappingprincipal multiculturalagencies,dashinghopesforreconciliationwithindigenousAustralians, refusingtoagreetotheKyotoprotocol,dispatchingtherepublicandturningrefugees away(Macintyre&Clark,2003,p.11).InplaceofKeating’s‘‘bigpicture’’valueshe insertsthesmallpicture /theinsularfamilywitharighttoitsoldfashionedvalues anditsfearofoutsiders.Thissmallpicturetapsintothefearsofthenewneoliberal subjectandbothappearstopacifythosefearsatthesametimeasit(deliberately) exacerbatesthem.

Whileitispossible,then,tocoupleneoliberalismwithverydifferentpolitical agendas,itneverthelessgeneratesinthepopulationitsownsetofvaluesthatare farfrombenign.Whatisunderstoodaspossible,andasdesirable,isshapedbythe obsessiveregulatorypracticesofgovernmentthroughwhichuniversitiesand otherpublicinstitutionsaremadetobendtheirenergiestothe‘‘bottomline’’ andwhatToniMorrisoncalls‘‘thebottomedoutmind’’ /themindthatdisattends theeffectsofthatbendingexcepttoreporttogovernmentthatthebending hasindeedbeenproductiveofthethingsthatgovernmentwants.(Howmuch moneydowespendconvincingthemandourselvesthatthisistrue,thattheir powertoshapeusisreal?)Whatworkdowedotoavoidknowingwhathas beendestroyedinourintellectualworkthroughtheimpositionandtakeupof neoliberaldiscourses?Wemustask:howdoesneoliberalismgetinsertedintoour consciousness,intoourconscience?Andwithwhateffects?Weneedtounderstand howthismajorshiftinthecultureoccurred,whatitdoestous,andhowtocrackit apart.

InOpera,Cle´mentpointsout,itisthetricksters,theclowns,thepoorfoolswho smuggleintheshiftsanddisruptions:

Fortherealtricksters,theeternalclowns,thepoorsuckers,aresmugglers.Itisin theirpresencethatthenecessaryshiftsanddisruptionsareaccomplished.Itcan happenthattheyembodydisorderanddieofit,likeOthello. thesemen,who unlikeothermen,furthermadness,bymeansofwhich,attheirexpense,anopening canbeforcedintothesocialfabric.Theyprovidethedialecticsoftheopera,they areitsanxietyanditsendlessmovementbetweenapeacefullifeandplaceswhere societysuddenlycracksapart.(Cle´ment,1998,p.131)

Beingtheonewhoasksthequestionsorthroughwhoseembodiedbeingtheshiftsget playedoutcanbeariskybusiness.Wecould,aswedo,notquitethroughchoiceand notquitethroughnecessity,takeneoliberalismonboardforasafelife /wecan surviveifwesubjectourselvestoitsterms.But,forthemostpart,ithasenteredour worldbystealth,andhaserodedourvalues.Itunderminestheveryvalueand meaningofacademiclife.Ifeelcompelled,asIfeltcompelledinrelationto gender /itisamatterofsurvivalofadifferentkind /toforceanopeninginthesocial fabricinwhichitbecomesevidentthatthisdiscourseofneoliberalismisturningus intopeoplethatwedonotwanttobe.LikeOthello,Iwanttheimpossible.Iwantto speakmymind /Ilongtotranscendthediscourseofneoliberalism.Ilongto continuemyloveaffairwiththelifeoftheintellectinwhichIrefusethetermsof neoliberalexistence,evenwhileseeingtheimpossibilityofdoingso.Canwe,like Othello,enterthespaceinwhichthefaultlinesinthesocialfabriccanbemade visible /revisable,knowingaswedo,ourownvulnerabilitytothetermsofthesocial fabricforourexistence?

Itisbecauseofthefearofdifference,oftheabjectOther,thatOthellomustdie,he cannotbelong.Imaginehisfinaldeathsong

Betweenthecomposerandthesong,betweenthesingerandhisaudience,the impossiblemomentismadepossible /themomentisheld,lost,regained,finally, whenthecurtainrisesthelasttime,toOthellostanding,toecstaticapplause.Othello

isimmersedinhisimpossiblelove /unitedinlovewithDesdemonaevenasheknows sheisdead.Weweepforhim,weshoutbravo!forhisloveevenasweknowitcannot be /hecannotbeallowedtodisruptthesocialorderinthisway /tounitewiththe goodpurewhiteChristianwomanofnoblebirth ....

Canweholdthemomentlongenoughtoknowhowwebothgetcaughtup intheapparentinevitabilityofdominantdiscourses,howweblameOthellofor hisowndemise,and,atthesametime,longtodisruptthosedominantdiscourses, todecomposethem,tomovebeyondthem?Itisthis‘‘andatthesametime’’that issodifficulttograsp.Wedonotexistsolelyononesideortheother,buton both.

Thepossibleisembeddedinthe(im)possible.Throughashiftofattention,ashift ofconscienceandconsciousness,notjustinonemindbutinthemindofapeople, actionunfolds,sometimesviolently,makinganewpossibility.NelsonMandelaand hisfellowANCmembersdreamttheimpossibledream,theabolitionofinjusticein SouthAfrica.Inasyncopeofalmost30years,asmalldeathlivedoverandover,they remainedtruetothewordsofMandelawhenhewassentencedtoimprisonmentfor life:

WhateversentenceYourWorshipseesfittoimposeuponmeforthecrimeforwhich Ihavebeenconvictedbeforethiscourt,mayitrestassuredthatwhenmysentence hasbeencompletedIwillstillbemoved,asmenarealwaysmoved,bytheir conscience;Iwillstillbemovedbymydislikeoftheracediscriminationagainstmy peoplewhenIcomeoutfromservingmysentence,totakeupagain,asbestIcan, thestrugglefortheremovalofthoseinjusticesuntiltheyarefinallyabolishedonce andforall ... .(Mandela,1995,p.394)

Thecurtainfalls.Weshoutbravo!Butthistimeitislifeimprisonment.Thecurtain remainsclosed.For27yearsthecurtainremainedclosed.Whenthecurtainfinally roseagain,theaudiencewasdelirious.Theshiftinconsciousnesshadtakenplace. Thewound,thelineoffaultinthesocialfabrichasbeenmadevisible,andrevisable. Asthecurtainfellonhislifesentence,manylongedforthechange,andmanydied forit.Mandela’smythicalstatuscouldnothaveemerged,however,withoutthe struggleofmany,manypeople,allovertheworld,tochangeconsciousness.The questionis,howwasitpossibleforthemajorityforwhiteSouthAfricans,andforus, eachinourownways,tobesoblindtoourownactsofviolenceandoppression? Howisitthatwegetcaughtupinlanguage,thatisitselfaviolence,thatisoppressive inwayswedonotconsciously,rationallychoosetobe,withoutfeelingtheneedto turnourreflexivegazeontheeffectsofwhatwesay,whatweallowtobespoken withoutdemur?

InthewordsofButler,

Preciselyatthemomentwhenchoiceisimpossible,thesubjectpursuessubordinationasthepromiseofexistence.Thispursuitisnotchoice,butneitherisit necessity.Subjectionexploitsthedesireforexistence,whereexistenceisalways conferredfromelsewhere;itmarksaprimaryvulnerabilitytotheOtherinorderto be.(Butler,1997,p.20)

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Thisisourdilemma.

EvenMandelatellsstoriesaboutthelanguageandpracticesofthepowerful seepingintohisconsciousnessandtakingoverhisemotions.Hewrites,forexample, ofamomentofterrorwhenhefirstboardedaplanewithablackpilot.Secretlyona tourofAfricancountriestogainsupportforthearmedstruggleforamultiracial democracyinSouthAfrica,hesuddenlyfoundhedidn’ttrustablackmantoflya plane:

WeputdownbrieflyinKhartoum,wherewechangedtoanEthiopianAirways flighttoAddis.HereIexperiencedaratherstrangesensation.AsIwasboardingthe planeIsawthatthepilotwasblack.Ihadneverseenablackpilotbefore,andthe instantIdidIhadtoquellmypanic.Howcouldablackmanflyaplane?Buta momentlaterIcaughtmyself:Ihadfallenintotheapartheidmind-setthinkingthat Africanswereinferiorandthatflyingwasawhiteman’sjob.(Mandela,1995,p. 348)

Butamomentlater /nottoolate /hecaughthimselfintheact,hequelledhisterror, hemadevisiblethediscoursethroughwhichhispanichaderupted.

TheNeoliberalSubject

ToniMorrison,adecadeago,spokeofthelimitingforceofoppressivelanguagesboth insideandoutsidetheacademy:

Oppressivelanguagedoesmorethanrepresentviolence;itisviolence;doesmore thanrepresentthelimitsofknowledge;itlimitsknowledge.Whetheritisobscuring statelanguageorthefauxlanguageofmindlessmedia;whetheritistheproudbut calcifiedlanguageoftheacademyorthecommoditydrivenlanguageofscience; whetheritisthemalignlanguageoflaw-without-ethics,orlanguagedesignedfor theestrangementofminorities,hidingitsracistplunderinitsliterarycheek /it mustberejected,alteredandexposed.Itisthelanguagethatdrinksblood,laps vulnerabilities,tucksitsfascistbootsundercrinolinesofrespectabilityand patriotismasitmovesrelentlesslytowardthebottomlineandthebottomedout mind.Sexistlanguage,racistlanguage,theisticlanguage /allaretypicalofthe policinglanguagesofmastery,andcannot,donot,permitnewknowledgeor encouragethemutualexchangeofideas.(Morrison,1993,pp.16 /17)

Oppressivestatelanguage /thatis,currently,thelanguageofneoliberalgovernment /ismoreviolentthanitsbland,ratherabsurdsurfacemightleadustobelieve. Itisatworkhere,busilycontainingwhatwecando,whatwecanunderstand.Itisthe languageinwhichtheauditorisking.Itisalanguagethatdestroyssocial responsibilityandcritique,thatinvitesamindless,consumer-orientedindividualism toflourish,andkillsoffconscience.Whatcantheacademydointhefaceofsucha powerfulrelanguagingofourworkwhenthatrelanguagingistiedtooureconomic survival?Ihaveheardconversationsamongacademicswhoarenototherwise monstersbuthavebecomemonstrousintheirwilltosurviveandtheirattentionto thebottomline.Iheardagroupofstaffsay,forexample,theywantedtoforcethe retirementoftheirone-timeleaderagainsthiswill,amantowhomtheyweredeeply

intellectuallyandpersonallyindebted,becausetheywouldgetmoremoneyfrom DESTthatway /moneytheyhadcometobelievetheyneededforsurvival.Ihave heardHeadsofSchooladvisetheirstaffnottobothertopublishtheirresearch,since thesignificantdollarsfromDESTwerenowattachedtogettingresearchgrants, ratherthantopublishing.Ihearoverandoveragainaboutacademicswhoareworthy ofrespectbecausetheybringinoutsidemoney /andwhatofthevalueoftheirwork, Iask,butthequestiondrawsablank.Itbecomesapressingquestion,then,toask howdidneoliberaleseinsertitselfintotheheartsandmindsofacademics?Isthere anyroomleftinAustraliaforthosewhowanttocritiquethewordsofgovernment andcallitspracticesintoquestion?

ToniMorrisonwarnedin1993that:‘‘Therewillbemoreofthelanguageof surveillancedisguisedasresearch;ofpoliticsandhistorycalculatedtorenderthe sufferingofmillionsmute;languageglamorizedtothrillthedissatisfiedandbereft intoassaultingtheirneighbors;arrogantpseudo-empiricallanguagecraftedtolock creativepeopleintocagesofinferiorityandhopelessness’’(Morrison,1993,p.18). Thisisexactlywhatneoliberalismhasdoneandcontinuestodo.Itco-opts researchtoitsownagendas,itsilencesthosewhoaskquestions,itwhipsupasmallmindedmoralismthatrewardstheattackofeachsmallpowerlesspersononthe other,anditshutsdowncreativity.Itdrawsonandexacerbatesafearofdifference andrewardsarampant,consumerist,competitiveindividualism.Itmakesemotion, humour,poetry,song,apassionforalifeoftheintellectunthinkable.

AquestionIhaveaskedagainandagaininmyworkishowcanwe,asteachers,as scholars,asstudentsandasmembersofthepublic,learntocatchourselvesandeach otherintheactoftakingupthetermsthroughwhichdominanceandoppressiontake place.Howmightwecatchourselvesmouthingthecomfortablecliche´sand platitudesthattogetherweusetoshapethatsameworldthatweshakeourheads atwithsorrowandresignation /orthatwesecretlyinourdarkestheartsapplaud? Howmightweputtoonesideourownsafetyandcomfortablecertaintiesandaskthe impossiblequestionsthatexistoutsideofthealreadyknown,thealreadyasked,the comfortablyconservativediscursiveuniversethatshoresupourcertaintiesandkeeps theworldasafeplace /forus?Howarewetoresistengagingintheneoliberally inducedsurveillanceofourselvesandeachother,surveillancethatlimits,thatholds usneatlypackagedwithineconomicandutilitariandiscourses.Howcanwedareto ask,inthefaceofthatdiscourseanditsconstraints,thequestionsthatunsettle,the questionsthatdisruptthecertaintiesandsecurities,thequestionsthathonoura passionateidealoftheacademywhereintellectualworkiswithoutfear,whereitdoes notknow,necessarily,whereitsquestionsmightlead /passionateworkthat recognizesnoboundariesthatmightpreventitsdevelopmentandwhereitalso carespassionatelyaboutitseffects?

Certainly,wehavenotkeptourresearchsafe.Inmyresearchprojectontheimpact ofneoliberalismonintellectualwork,oneoftheintervieweeswhohadbeen spectacularlysuccessfulinattractinglargeoutsidegrantssaid,whenIquestioned himabouttheadvicethatweshouldforgetpublishingbecauseDESTdoesn’tpay muchforit,thatitwasirrationalnonsense,anonsensethatonly‘‘limited

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administrators’’wouldbuyinto:‘‘Imeantheyonlygivegrantstosomepeopleand thegrantstheygivearetopeoplewhoarepublishing,soitisonlyalimited administrator’sperspective,Ireckon’’.ButwhenIquestionedhimfurtherandin detailabouthisapproachtohisworkandthewayheunderstooditsvalue,hisown value,indollartermsorintermsofthesignificanceofhisintellectualwork,he suddenlyrealizedthatneoliberaldiscoursehadslidwaybeyondtheadministrators intohisowndecisionsandjudgementsaboutpublishingandgrantgetting /abouthis ownvaluetotheacademyandthetermsinwhichthatwasmeasured.Whenthose ideas‘‘firstappearonthehorizon’’hesaid,‘‘youknowyoukindofobjectanddon’t doitandafterawhileitjustbecomespartofthefurnitureandyoudon’tnoticeitany more,youfindyourselfdoingallthatstuff,andgettingcrosswhenotherpeople object,andyou’vesuddenlyidentifiedwiththewholeflawedprocess’’.

Caughtupinbeingneoliberalsubjectswhooperatewithinthetermsofdominant discoursesdoesnotsuitacademicsverywell.Itrunscountertointellectualwork.It placesusintheimpossiblesituationofexistinginacontextwherewhatweknowwe shoulddoisscoffedatasaromanticdream,afantasy,anindulgenceofthepast /a lovelikeOthello’sofDesdemona,oradreamlikeajustSouthAfrica,nottobe countenanced?Itisnotsurprising,asWinefield,Gillespie,Stough,Dua,and Hapuarchi(2002,p.9)havefound,thatapproximately50%ofAustralianuniversity staffare‘‘atriskofpsychologicalillness,comparedwithonly19%oftheAustralian populationoverall’’.

Thelanguageandpracticesofneoliberalmanagerialismareseductive:Theylay outthegroundsforanewkindofsuccessandrecognition,theyscuttlelike ragged claws acrossthe floorsofthesilentseas ofourminds(Eliot,1961,p.14),andtheyopen upacontradiction,animpossibility,forthosewhoarepassionateaboutthelifeofthe intellect,animpossibilityasdeepastheimpossibilityofOthello’slovefor Desdemona.TheMoorcannotlive.

Itwouldbemucheasier,wouldn’tit,toabandonthedreamofintellectualwork,to becomenomorethantheonewhoparticipatesinthescene,gladtobeofuse,likeJ. AlfredPrufrock:

No!IamnotPrinceHamlet,norwasmeanttobe; Amanattendantlord,onethatwilldo Toswellaprogress,startasceneortwo, Advisetheprince;nodoubt,aneasytool, Deferential,gladtobeofuse, Politic,cautious,andmeticulous; Fullofhighsentence,butabitobtuse; Attimes,indeed,almostridiculous / Almost,attimes,theFool.(Eliot,1961,p.15)

Yetalsoalmostthefool,thetrickster,theonewhomightsmuggleinthedream,ask questions,causethenecessarydisruptionsandshiftsinconsciousnessandin practice.

Sohowthencanwecharacterizetheneoliberalsubject /theoneappropriately subjectedwithinneoliberaldiscourses?

Consumption

Theneoliberalselfislargelydefinedintermsofincomeandthecapacitytopurchase goods.Thedesireforgoodscanbesatisfiedtotheextentthattheworkerproduces whatevertheeconomydemands.Thisemphasisonconsumerismmakestheworker complianttowhatevermustbedonetoearnmoney,sincetoloseone’sjob,tobe withoutincome,istoloseone’sidentity.Inordertoholdtheirjobs,neoliberalselves arenecessarilyflexible,multiskilled,mobile,abletorespondtonewdemandsand newsituations;‘‘ securityisseenasemanatingfrompeople’scapacitytoadapt. Eithertheyareflexibleandadaptable,opentochange,capableoffindingnew projects,andliveinrelativepersonalsecurity,ortheyarenotandwillbeputaside whenthecurrentprojectfinishes’’(Chiapello&Fairclough,2002,p.30).Martin (1997)analysesthedoublenessofthisneoliberalideal /itfeelsgoodtobeflexible andadaptable,butitalsofeelsterriblewhenwerealizewecannotaffordtostop.

IndividualResponsibility

Amajorshiftinneoliberaldiscourseistowardssurvivalbeinganindividual responsibility.Thisisacrucialelementoftheneoliberalorder /theremovalof dependenceonthesocialcombinedwiththedreamofpossessionsandwealthfor eachindividualwhogetsitright.Vulnerabilityiscloselytiedtoresponsibility,andis centraltoneoliberalsubjectivity /workersaredisposableandthereisnoobligation ofthe‘‘socialfabric’’totakecareofthatdisposedself.Sennett(1998)claimsthatthe newdisposabilityistougherthantheoldcapitalistclass-basedsystemasitismore personal.Theneoliberalsubjectbecomesbothvulnerableandnecessarilycompetitive,competitionbeingnecessaryforsurvival.

TheSelfAdriftfromValues

Sennett(1998)describestheneoliberalsubjectasfearing thattheactionsheneedstotakeandthewayhehastoliveinordertosurviveinthe moderneconomyhavesethisemotional,innerlifeadrift.(p.20)

Shorttermcapitalismthreatenstocorrodehischaracter,particularlythosequalities ofcharacterwhichbindhumanbeingstooneanotherandfurnisheseachwitha senseofsustainableself.(p.27)

Theconditionsoftimeinthenewcapitalismhavecreatedaconflictbetween characterandexperience,theexperienceofdisjointedtimethreateningtheabilityof peopletoformtheircharactersintosustainednarratives.(p.31)

Sincetheindividualisresponsiblefortakingcareofhimorherselfandnot dependentonsociety,suchselves,inbeingcutloosefromthesocial,nolongerhave thesameresponsibilitytothesocial.Theemphasisofresponsibilityisshiftedoverto responsibilityforindividualsurvival.Survivalisconstructednotasmoralsurvivalbut aseconomicsurvival.Elementsoftheliberalhumanistselfthatwereintegraltothe maintenanceofthesocialfabric(acommitmenttoliberalvalues /thedevelopment

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ofcharacter,predictability,acapacitytocritique)arenowlessimportantthanthe skillsforindividualsurvival(thecapacitytoearnmoney,entailingflexibility, responsiveness,responsibilityforselfagainsttheother).Theappropriate(d)selfat workisproducedbecauseitistooriskytodootherwise.Becausethisselfmustwork sohardandhasnonarrativecertaintyaboutitself,itisquitedifficulttotakecareof. Itbecomesdependentonthepractitionersofthepsy-sciences,newagepractices, doctorsandtherapeuticdrugstokeepitselfgoing(Walkerdine,2003).Theinnerself thatmightbecultivatedthroughsuchpractices,orthepersonofcharacterisofless relevanceandvalueintheworkplacethantheselfthatmightbeproducedthrough flexibility,responsiveness,andtraininginpublicdiscourses.And,ofcourse,thecosts ofmaintainingthenewlyfragileselfisconstructed,inneoliberaldiscourse,asan individualresponsibility.

Surveillance

Surveillancebecomesakeyelementofneoliberalsystems,necessitatedbythe heightenedemphasisontheindividual’sresponsibilityandthede-emphasizing ofinnervaluesandcommitmenttothesocialgood.Trustisnolongerrealistic orrelevant.Eachpersonnolongertruststheothertoworkproperly,andeach becomesoneofthemultipleeyesspyingoneachother.Further,reporting mechanismsformonitoringandproducingappropriatebehaviouraremandated. Thesemechanismsare,inturn,verycostlyanddevouranenormousproportionof shrinkingfunds,thusrequiringanincreaseintheamountofworkeachworkeris expectedtodo.

Autonomy

Anillusionofindividualautonomyiscreatedwithinneoliberalsystems.Overand overagainindividualsarerequiredtocollectivelyinventtheneoliberalsystemsthey arepartof,makingsureeachtimethattheycomecloserandclosertothecorrect discourse.‘‘Reconceptualization’’isalltherageinuniversities.Ifyoulooktoseehow thatreconceptualizingisbeingdone,youfindaweavingofoldhopesandideals /in education,oftheteacherasprofessional,oftheteacherasintellectualcomingto studywithusortodoresearchwithus,oftheteacherwithaheightenedsenseofcare forherstudents.Wefindhopesforincreasedfunding,andabucklingandadaptation tothenew.Wefindincreasedsurveillanceviaaccreditingbodies,awillingnessto trainstudentsuptobecomeneoliberalsubjects.In‘‘aprocessofadaptationtothese newcircumstances’’ofwhathecallstheknowledgeeconomy(neoliberalismby anothername),Lovat(2003,p.1),forexample,saysinadiscussionpaperprepared fortheAustralianCouncilofDeansofEducation:

Theroleofeducatorswillneedtobereconceptualizedandteachereducationwill needtobroadenitsfocus ... .TheAustralianCouncilofDeans ... vision recogniseseducationasthekeytoeconomicprosperity,socialcohesionandthe

promiseofdemocracy.Italsorecognisesthatthemajorchallengefortheteaching professioninthetwenty-firstcenturyistoprepareyoungpeopletoliveandworkin aworldcharacterisedbyconstantchangeanduncertainty.

Lovatofferstotrainupthenewneoliberalsubjectsandtoencouragesurveillance /in returnforwhichhearguesformoremoneyandcelebratestheincreasedautonomyhe thinksteacherswillhaveinthisneweconomy.Buthe’smissedthepoint.Buyinginto neoliberalagendasmeansanillusionofincreasedautonomy,anditmeanslessmoney forpublicinstitutions.Theonlythingapproximatingautonomycomesforthe entrepreneur /theonewhoplayswithmoneyandmaybeabigtimewinnerorabig timeloser.Andmoneyismovedfrompublicinstitutionstotheprivatesectorasan integralpartofshiftingresponsibilitytotheprivaterealmandtoindividuals. Education,underneoliberalism,isnolongerapublicgood.

Butstill,howonearthdiduniversitiesgetsuckedintobelievingthattheyshould becomepartofthisprocess?Howdidtheyagreethateducationwasamarket commodityratherthananessentialpartofanydemocracy,contributingtothepublic good?

Thegroundfortheimplementationofneoliberalismwaslaidinthe1970s,hoton theheelsofthestudentuprisinginuniversitiesagainstauthoritarianrulesand knowledges,thoughitisonlyinthelastdecadewhenitseffectshavereallybegunto bevisible.Lookingbackitispossibletoseethatthenecessarygroundthatwas preparedforthesewingofneoliberaldiscoursewasacombinationof:

. fearforthesurvivalofone’scountrylaidoutineconomictermsanddefinedasan inevitableresultofglobalization /thegovernmentwouldnotbeabletostopthe changesevenifitwantedto;

. fearforone’sownsocialgroupanditseconomicsurvivaldefinedintermsofthe Other,theonewhoisdifferentandwhowilltakewhatyouhave;

. fearforthesurvivaloftheinstitutiononeispartofinducedbythesuccessive withdrawaloffundsandthetyingoffundstovariousactsofcompliance /the removalofsafetyintheknowninstitutionalfabricthroughsuccessiverestructurings;

. fearofone’sownsurvivalcreatedbyweakeningofunionsandsecurityoftenureat work,reductionofsupportfromsocialnetstotakecareofthosewholosetheir jobsorbecomeilloroldortoofrailtowork,combinedwiththeintroductionofa discoursethatvaluestheshortterm,theflexible /movementoverstasis.

Thisgroundwasthencolonizedby:

. forumsforgenerating‘‘futures’’planning,wherethenewlyuncertainfuturecanbe tamedbycarefulplanning /planningwithinthetermsofneoliberalese,butwitha promiseofimplementationofequalopportunityasameansofseducingthe previouslydisenfranchizedtoputenergyintogeneratingthe(neoliberal) discoursesofthefuture;

. multipleandrepeatedreportingonformsofvulnerabilitycombinedwithmoral ascendancyandfearoftheOther;

12 B.Davies

. iterativereductionsinfundingtopublicinstitutionstoincreasevulnerabilityand compliance;

. fundingofpublicinstitutionstiedtocompliancemechanisms;

. repeatedrestructuringofinstitutionstodislodgeinstitutionalmemory,toopenup workerstothenew,andtoobscurethepictureofhowthewhole(institutionor society)works;

. iterativedevelopmentofsurveillancepractices,includingstateinstitutionssuchas TheIndependentCommissionAgainstCorruption(ICAC)andtheCriminal JusticeCommission(CJC),aswellasinternalsurveillancemechanisms,turning individualworkersintomultipleeyesthatspyoneachotherandunderminethe fabricoftrustthatunderpinnedoldpractices;

. privatization,shiftingresponsibilityfromgovernmenttoprivatecorporationsand ofcourse,toindividuals.

Insummary,neoliberalism,aswecurrentlypractiseit,hasshapedupas:

. amovefromsocialconscienceandresponsibilitytowardsanindividualismin whichtheindividualiscutloosefromthesocial;

. frommoralitytomoralisticaudit-drivensurveillance;

. fromcritiquetomindlesscriticismintermsofrulesandregulationscombined withindividualvulnerabilitytothosenewrulesandregulations,whichinturn presstowardsconformitytothegroup.

TheImplicationsforEducation

PartoftheburdenofwhatIhavetosayhereisthatitisimperativethatwe understandneoliberaldiscoursesandpractices,howtheyworkandtheireffects.In doingso,wecansee,forexample,thatthedecreasesinpublicfundingforeducation arenotaccidental.Theencouragementofparentstomovetheirchildrenintothe privatesectorispartofthemovetowardsprivateresponsibilityforwhatwasonce understoodasagovernmentresponsibilityforthepublicgood.Fightingtheissueof publicfundingforeducationisboundtofailwithoutanunderstandingofthe underlyingprinciplesonwhichthedecreasesarebased.

Revisioningeducationinlinewithneoliberalagendas,asLovatdoesinpart,needs tobeunderstoodintermsofthediscourseandwhatitseffectsare,bothon individualsandonthesocialfabric.Anyrevisioningofeducationwouldbebetter foundedonsuchprinciplesas:

. socialconscienceandresponsibilityisparamount,butisitselfalwaysinneedof critique,ofreflexiveexaminationofanyaccidentalslideintooppressiveor otherwiseharmfuldiscourses;

. moralityentailsnotonlyindividualmoralresponsibilitybutalsothetaskoflooking attheeffectsofparticularsystemsofmorality,ofexamining,forexample,how audit-drivenmoralismworks,orathowbinarythoughtlimitswhatisthinkable;

. critiqueinvolvesnotonlycastingacriticalgazeondiscourse,butondeconstructingordecomposingoneself,understandingthattheindividualandthediscursive arenotdistinct.

Wemustgivetoourstudentsadoubledgaze,toenablethemtobecomecritically literate,tobecomecitizensatoncecapableofadaptingandbecomingappropriate withinthecontextsinwhichtheyfindthemselvesandasresponsiblecitizenscapable ofcritique;citizenswhocanunderstandtheconstitutiveworkthatdiscoursedoes andwhocanworkcreatively,imaginatively,politically,andwithpassiontobreak opentheoldwhereitisfaultyandtoenvisagethenew.Evenmoreurgentisthetask ofgivingthemsomepersonaltoolsforwithstandingtheworsteffectsofneoliberalism,forseeingboththepleasureandthedangerofbeingdrawnintoit,for understandingthewaysinwhichtheyaresubjectedbyit.Theyneedtobeableto generatestablenarrativesofidentityandtounderstandthewayneoliberaldiscourses andpracticeswillworkagainstthatstability.

Weneedtoworkatthelevelofbothrationalityanddesire.Studentsmustbe trainedinphilosophy /tounderstandtherangeofdiscoursesthroughwhichthey, andothers,areconstituted,andhowthosediscoursesworkatthelevelofreasoned argumentandlogic.Itisessentialtoothattheyknowhowdiscourseworksondesire. Desiregoesbeyondrationalityand,toalargeextent,ispartofthemysterious,the poetic,theineffable:inarealmnotreadilypinneddownwithwords,notreadily amenabletologicandrationality .Invarioushumanistguises,desirehasbeen usedasanindicatorofwhowe‘‘really’’are,assignifyinganessencethatis‘‘natural’’ andpersonal,asindependentofsocialinfluence.Butdesireisspokenintoexistence, itisshapedthroughdiscursiveandinteractivepractices,throughthesymbolicand thesemiotic.Desiresareconstitutedthroughthenarrativesandstorylines,the metaphors,theverylanguageandpatternsofexistencethroughwhichweare subjected /madeintomembersofthesocialworld.

Itisnotachoicebetweencomplianceandresistance,betweencolonizingand beingcolonized,betweentakingupthemasternarrativesandresistingthem.Itisin ourownexistence,thetermsofourexistence,thatweneedtobeginthework, together,ofdecomposingthoseelementsofourworldthatmakeus,andour students,vulnerabletothelatestdiscourseandthatinhibitconscienceandlimit consciousness.

References

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Chiapello,E.,&Fairclough,N.(2002).Understandingthenewmanagementideology.A transdisciplinarycontributionfromcriticaldiscourseanalysisandnewsociologyof capitalism. DiscourseandSociety , 13 (2),185 /208.

Cle´ment,C.(1989). Opera,ortheundoingofwomen (B.Wing,Trans.).London,UK:Virago. Davies,B.(2000a). Abodyofwriting1990 /1999 .WalnutCreek:AltaMiraPress. Davies,B.(2000b). (In)scribingbody/landscaperelations .WalnutCreek:AltaMiraPress. Davies,B.(2003a). Frogsandsnailsandfeministtales.Preschoolchildrenandgender (Rev.ed.). Cresskill,NJ:HamptonPress.

Davies,B.(2003b). Shardsofglass.Childrenreadingandwritingbeyondgenderedidentities (Rev.ed.). Cresskill,NJ:HamptonPress.

Eliot,T.S.(1961). Selectedpoems .London,UK:FaberandFaber. Lovat,T.J.(2003). Theroleofthe‘‘teacher’’comingofage? (Discussionpaper).Bundoora,Australia: AustralianCouncilofDeansofEducation.

Macintyre,S.,&Clark,A.(2003,September8).Crusadersdrivethiswar.TheAustralian, p.11. Martin,E.(1997).Designingﬂexibility:Scienceandworkinanageofﬂexibleaccumulation. ScienceandCulture , 6 (28),327 /362. Mandela,N.(1995). Longwalktofreedom .London,UK:Abacus. Morrison,T.(1993). Lectureandspeechofacceptance,upontheawardoftheNobelPrizeforliterature, deliveredinStockholmontheseventhofDecember,nineteenhundredandninety-three .London, UK:ChattoandWindus.

Sennett,R.(1998). Thecorrosionofcharacter.Thepersonalconsequencesofworkinthenewcapitalism NewYork,NY:W.W.NortonandCo. Walkerdine,V.(2003).Reclassifyingupwardmobility:femininityandtheneoliberalsubject. Gender andEducation , 15 (3),237 /248. Watson,D.(2003,November12).Giveusverbs,notdotpoints. TheAustralian, p.15. Wineﬁeld,H.W.,Gillespie,N.,Stough,C.,Dua,J.,&Hapuarchi,J.(2002). OccupationalStressin Australianuniversities:Anationalsurvey .Australia:ViceChancellors,NationalTertiary EducationUnion,FacultyandStaffofAustralianUniversitiesandTheMinistersfor EducationandHealth.

The (im)possibility of intellectual work in neoliberal regimes

Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education