This is Tuomas Tervasmäki’s PhD research project. The purpose of the research is twofold. The first objective is to analyse the political and ideological dimensions of educational policies, institutions, and practices. The second objective focus on methodological implementation of Discourse Theory in the field of educational research. The political discourse theory (aka ideology and discourse analysis, IDA) is a theoretical framework and methodology based on the political philosophy of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe and their successors, also known as The Essex School of Discourse Theory. The aim is to examine what kind of new explanatory perspectives this approach can offer in understanding educational phenomena and to investigate possible problems and limitations which may arise through such implementation.
The research will be conducted through four substudies that contribute to different subfields of education studies (1. general education policy and media debate, 2. curriculum studies and disability studies, 3. university ethnography and higher education reforms 4. higher education policy reforms, anticipatory governance in education policy futures). Substudies have been chosen in a way that each case study applies a different methodological approach of Discourse Theory and thus provides a new perspective into the empirical analysis of educational policy studies.
The analysis of rhetorics and articulation of education policies emphasise normative and socially constructed character of educational practices. Substudies of this dissertation
a) bring forth political and value-based decisions made in different sectors of education policy
b) destabilize and contest hegemonic educational configurations by examining their ideological foundations
c) open up current policy discourse for alternative educational imaginaries.
This sort of critical research enhances reflective democratic discussion regarding ideologies, power relations and objectives of educational policy.
Publications related to this project:
Tervasmäki, T. (2023) Anticipatory policy rhetoric: exploring ideological fantasies of Finnish higher education. Critical Policy Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/19460171.2023.2275289
Tervasmäki, T. (2022). Osallistavasta kasvatuksesta ulossulkemiseen? Diskurssiteoreettinen luenta Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteiden 2014 inkluusiokäsityksestä. Oppimisen ja oppimisvaikeuksien erityislehti NMI-bulletin 32(E), 11–32. Vammaistutkimuksen teemanumero. https://bulletin.nmi.fi/2022/02/03/vammaistutkimuksen-teemanumero-2022/
Tiina Nikkola & Tuomas Tervasmäki (2022): Experiences of arbitrary management among Finnish academics in an era of academic capitalism, Journal of Education Policy 37 (4), 548-568. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2020.1854350
Tervasmäki, T. & Tomperi, T. (2018). Koulutuspolitiikan arvovalinnat ja suunta satavuotiaassa Suomessa. niin & näin 2/2018, 164–200. http://netn.fi/node/7333
Tervasmäki, T. 2018. Tasa-arvoa yksilö vai yhteisö edellä? Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteiden 2014 tasa-arvokäsitys. Teoksessa Risto Rinne, Nina Haltia, Sonia Lempinen & Tuuli Kaunisto (toim.) Eriarvoistuva maailma – tasa-arvoistava koulu? Kasvatusalan tutkimuksia. Jyväskylä: Suomen Kasvatustieteellinen Seura, 123–144.
Tervasmäki, T., Okkolin, M-A, Kauppinen, I. 2018. Changing the heart and soul? Inequalities in Finland’s current pursuit of a narrow education policy. Policy Futures in Education. Published online first. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210318811031
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