Comfort radicalism and NEETs: a conservative praxis

Journal article


Avis, James 2014. Comfort radicalism and NEETs: a conservative praxis. International Studies in Sociology of Education. 24 (3), pp. 272-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/09620214.2014.943030
AuthorsAvis, James
Abstract

Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) are construed by policy-makers as a pressing problem about which something should be done. Such young people’s lack of employment is thought to pose difficulties for wider society in relation to social cohesion and inclusion, and it is feared that they will become a ‘lost generation’. This paper draws upon English research, seeking to historicise the debate whilst acknowledging that these issues have a much wider purchase. The notion of NEETs rests alongside longstanding concerns of the English state and middle classes, addressing unruly male working-class youth as well as the moral turpitude of working class girls. Waged labour and domesticity are seen as a means to integrate such groups into society thereby generating social cohesion. The paper places the debate within it socio-economic context and draws on theorisations of cognitive capitalism, Italian workerism, as well as emerging theories of antiwork to analyse these. It concludes by arguing that ‘radical’ approaches to NEETs that point towards inequities embedded in the social structure and call for social democratic solutions veer towards a form of comfort radicalism. Such approaches leave in place the dominance of capitalist relations as well as productivist orientations that celebrate waged labour.

KeywordsGeneral Social Sciences; Education
Year2014
JournalInternational Studies in Sociology of Education
Journal citation24 (3), pp. 272-289
PublisherInforma UK Limited
ISSN0962-0214
1747-5066
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/09620214.2014.943030
Web address (URL)http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/21530
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09620214.2014.943030?journalCode=riss20&
hdl:10545/625300
Output statusPublished
Publication dates29 Jul 2014
Publication process dates
Deposited28 Oct 2020, 11:47
Accepted08 Jun 2014
ContributorsUniversity of Huddersfield
File
File Access Level
Open
Permalink -

https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/9555q/comfort-radicalism-and-neets-a-conservative-praxis

Download files

  • 75
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 4
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Work-based learning: Expansive learning, désoeuvrement, social justice and VET
Avis, R. 2024. Work-based learning: Expansive learning, désoeuvrement, social justice and VET. Power and Education. pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/17577438241239826
Theorising VET: European Differences, Commonalities and Contestation
Esmond, B., Kaiser, F. and Avis, R. 2023. Theorising VET: European Differences, Commonalities and Contestation . European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Vocational Education and Training Network (VETNET), Glasgow University.
Pursuing Equity, Vocational Education and Training and Social Justice
Avis, R. 2023. Pursuing Equity, Vocational Education and Training and Social Justice. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Vocational Education and Training Network (VETNET), Glasgow University. European Research Network in Vocational Education and Training (VETNET). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8208329
Reflections on bwp@ Special Issue 19
Avis, R. 2023. Reflections on bwp@ Special Issue 19. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik - online. Spezial (19), pp. 1-11.
In pursuit of equity vocational education and training and social justice
Avis, R. 2023. In pursuit of equity vocational education and training and social justice. Research in Post Compulsory Education. 28 (3), pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2023.2221119
Work-based learning: expansive learning and social justice
Avis, R. 2023. Work-based learning: expansive learning and social justice. JVET biannual conference 2023, Keble College Oxford, 13-15 July .
Thinking about the future: the fourth industrial revolution, capitalism, waged labour and anti-work
Avis, R. 2023. Thinking about the future: the fourth industrial revolution, capitalism, waged labour and anti-work. in: Malloch, M., Cairns, L., Evans, K and O'Connor, B. (ed.) The SAGE Handbook of Learning and Work London SAGE Publications. pp. 497-511
Review of John Preston (2022). Artificial Intelligence in the Capitalist University: Academic Labour, Commodification, and Value
Avis, R. 2022. Review of John Preston (2022). Artificial Intelligence in the Capitalist University: Academic Labour, Commodification, and Value. Postdigital Science and Education. Vol 4 (2022), p. 1104–1109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00287-3
WBL expansive learning RWL 12 version
Avis, R. 2022. WBL expansive learning RWL 12 version. Researching Work & Learning, Online Conference University of Toronto. RWL 12 .
The 4th Industrial Revolution, post-capitalism, waged labour and vocational education
Avis, J. 2022. The 4th Industrial Revolution, post-capitalism, waged labour and vocational education. in: Maisuria, A (ed.) Encyclopaedia of Marxism and Education (EME) Leiden Brill Academic Publishers. pp. 8-28
A critical review of debates surrounding race/ethnicity and TVET
Avis, R. 2022. A critical review of debates surrounding race/ethnicity and TVET. Journal of Vocational Education and Training. pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2022.2158360
Anti-work, TVET and employer engagement
Avis, R. 2022. Anti-work, TVET and employer engagement. Journal of Education and Work. 35 (5), pp. 585-598. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2022.2092606
Beyond ‘Migration’ and ‘Inclusion’ in Work-Life: racialisation and VET
Avis, R., Orr, Kevin and Warmington, Paul 2022. Beyond ‘Migration’ and ‘Inclusion’ in Work-Life: racialisation and VET. in: Herrera, L. M., Teräs, M., Gougoulakis, P. and Kontio, J. (ed.) Migration and Inclusion in Work Life: The role of VET Stockholm Atlas Akademi. pp. 27-59
Vocational Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Education and Employment in a Post-Work Age
Avis, R. 2021. Vocational Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Education and Employment in a Post-Work Age. London Palgrave.
Introduction: Vocational Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Education and Employment in a Post-Work Age
Avis, R. 2021. Introduction: Vocational Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Education and Employment in a Post-Work Age. in: Vocational Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Education and Employment in a Post-Work Age London Palgrave/ Springer. pp. 1-12
Beyond Neo-Liberalism a New Settlement - Three Crises and Post-Secondary Education
Avis, R. 2021. Beyond Neo-Liberalism a New Settlement - Three Crises and Post-Secondary Education. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies. 19 (1), pp. 158-183.
Race and vocational education and training in England
Avis, James, Orr, kevin and Warmington, Paul 2017. Race and vocational education and training in England. Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 69 (3), pp. 292-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2017.1289551
Socio-technical imaginary of the fourth industrial revolution and its implications for vocational education and training: a literature review
Avis, James 2018. Socio-technical imaginary of the fourth industrial revolution and its implications for vocational education and training: a literature review. Journal of Vocational Education and Training. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2018.1498907
HE in FE: vocationalism, class and social justice
Avis, James and Orr, kevin 2016. HE in FE: vocationalism, class and social justice. Research in Post Compulsory Education. 21 (1-2), pp. 49-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2015.1125666
“It’s all about work”: New times, Post-Fordism and vocational pedagogy
Avis, James 2018. “It’s all about work”: New times, Post-Fordism and vocational pedagogy. in: Routledge.
Re-conceptualising VET: responses to covid-19
Avis, R., Atkins, L., Esmond, B. and McGrath, S. 2020. Re-conceptualising VET: responses to covid-19. Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 73 (1), pp. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2020.1861068
Youth transitions, VET and the making of class: changing theorisations for changing times?
Avis, J. and Atkins, L. 2017. Youth transitions, VET and the making of class: changing theorisations for changing times? Research in Post Compulsory Education. 22 (2), pp. 165-185. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2017.1314678
Workplace learning, VET and vocational pedagogy: the transformation of practice
Avis, R. 2014. Workplace learning, VET and vocational pedagogy: the transformation of practice. Research in Post Compulsory Education. 19 (1), pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2014.872920