Counternetworks of Resistance

• In Event: 58.075 - Neoliberal Policy Network Governance and Counternetworks of Resistance: Actions and Reactions From Across Policy Arenas

Abstract

Objective: The facilitator on this table will discuss four articles that examine politics from the margin to the center, revealing new counter-networks that have formed to counteract the privatization and market-based reforms that neoliberal networks have promoted across various states

Overview of four-paper presentation: The authors of paper #8 combine critical theory with the advocacy coalition framework (ACF) to examine the education-focused counter-network that formed out of the Moral Monday movement in North Carolina. Interviews with activists, media reports, and organizational documents are all used for the analysis. According the authors, the Moral Monday Movement created a third-space for political agenda setting, in which a fusionist coalition of seemingly disparate groups came together to advocate for public education.

Paper #9 draws on Kingdon’s (2003) multiple streams framework to investigate how interest groups have used the problem, process, and politics streams to reorient the Wisconsin policymaking process. This paper traces the events surrounding sweeping changes to the nation’s oldest public employee bargaining statute, including the influence on Wisconsin politics of various conservative foundations. The paper also highlights the invigoration of a number of groups that have formed alliances to counter the policies being championed by the current state administration. One major finding was that traditional actors, including professional educator associations, have found themselves increasingly blocked out of the policy stream. Consequently, counter-networks have emerged that rely more heavily on the political stream – in the form of grassroots advocacy.

The authors of paper #10 analyze the major educational changes in New Jersey public schools wrought by the current governor, Christopher Christie (R) - who has strong ties with neo-liberal groups. The authors use a queer methodology, known as scavenging, to collect information on subjects that have been excluded from traditional studies. Particular attention is given to the use of social media by NJ activists who have resisted recent neo-liberal educational initiatives, including Newark’s Student Union. The paper explains how the prolonged and creative resistance of educators, community leaders, local scholars and students proves that it is possible to shift educational policymaking away from political cronies and back to the communities.

The subject of paper #11 is Organize 2020, the United Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (UCORE) member caucus from North Carolina. UCORE is a national network of more than 20 union reform caucuses who are engaged in the development of grassroots organizing structures to advocate for social justice, resist the privatization of public education, and increase union democracy. The authors use the Bourdieusian concepts of habitus and field, Gee’s Discourses, and Benford’s collective action frames as a framework for examining the ideas and activities described during interviews by teacher activists seeking to mobilize resistance in a state with a long history of anti-unionism.

Significance. The papers in this section help to map out the structure of counter-networks that have formed to resist neoliberal policy. The significance of the research presented includes giving voice to those who neoliberal networks seek to disempower, such as teachers and social justice-oriented organizations.

Authors

• Mark Johnson, The Learning Partnership

• Catherine Marshall, University of North Carolina

• Jason P. Murphy, Rutgers University

• Atiya S Strothers, Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway