Liberalism all the way down?

Multilevel discourse analysis of adult education for sustainable development policies

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3384/rela.2000-7426.5167

Keywords:

adult education for sustainable development, education policies, Sustainable Development Goals, European Union, Slovenia

Abstract

This paper analyses adult education for sustainable development policies, examining their dominant discursive orientations – neoliberal, liberal, and critical – across global, EU, and national levels. Focusing on Slovenia and its transnational policy influences in this field, it highlights a prevalent interplay of liberal and neoliberal discursive orientations alongside a comparatively limited presence of critical discourse. At the global level, the United Nations’ influence emphasises liberal discourse aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while the European Union policies exhibit a predominant neoliberal discourse, further solidified at the national level, particularly in more recent Slovenian policies. A prevalent interplay of neoliberal and liberal discourses characterises Slovenian adult education for sustainable development policies, reflecting the substantial influence of transnational actors.

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Published

2024-10-15

How to Cite

Košmerl, T. (2024). Liberalism all the way down? Multilevel discourse analysis of adult education for sustainable development policies. European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults, 15(3), 261–279. https://doi.org/10.3384/rela.2000-7426.5167