Working the 'shady spaces': Resisting neoliberal hegemony in New Zealand education

Abstract

While the chill winds of neoliberalism blow, it seems some cultures are better equipped to weather the storm. The London fog raincoat or the American Levi's denim jacket has left little insulation against the effects of a quarter century of so-called 'reforms'. New Zealand's Swanndri bush shirt, though not as efficient as the Finnish Arctic parka, has provided surprising insulation against the policies heralded as 'the New Zealand experiment'. This article explores the nature of neoliberalism and its relation to education policy, and considers the inherent inhibitors, or intuitive cultural resistors, to neoliberalism within New Zealand culture. It argues that rather than focus solely on the negative impacts of neoliberal reform on New Zealand education - a valuable and critical tool for our understanding - research should also focus on those aspects of New Zealand culture, Maori and Pakeha, which blunt the excesses of neoliberalism that can be seen in such places as the USA and England. These areas can provide the 'shady spaces' in which to combat neoliberal hegemony.