The third way and social capital: Education action zones and a new agenda for education, parents and community?

Abstract

This article examines social capital theory, a key element of Third Way thinking of the Blair government. The authors focus their policy discussion on the agenda of the first wave of Education Action Zones, one of the high profile developments in education, particularly in relation to addressing problems in the nexus of relations between schools, parents and community. Their conceptual analysis presents an attempt to designate an emerging orthodoxy in the contemporary interpretation of social capital theory which, they argue, tends to overlook important elements of the originating formulations in Bourdieu. The implications for the Third Way project of encouraging a civil society of trust and opportunity through building social networks is that it will not be successful unless economic polarisation and social inequality are addressed at the same time. The article reviews Education Action Zones policy formulation and identifies a potentially repressive agenda of social and cultural deficit thinking which is unlikely to make a significant contribution to strengthening inclusive democracy and social justice. © 1999, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.