Postsecular Neoliberal Policy Assemblages, Inequality, and Children's Non/Religious Recognition at School

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Perspectives of Neoliberalism

Abstract

This paper critiques the idea that secular education policy can neutrally recognise children’s non/religious identities at school. It empirically analyses how children become restricted by, and elude, classed, gendered and adult-centred moral codes enacted through local school ‘recognition’ processes. A policy assemblage analysis first problematises postsecular, market-led productions of viable and non-viable non/religious schools, which (re)create social hierarchies transnationally. Deleuzian concepts of partial objects and becoming are then used to map how children align with and depart from the unjust moral codes of the policy assemblage. Alongside naming and opposing policy’s unjust effects, I argue we need to cultivate attention to our capacity to affect and be affected by the moral codes and becomings of postsecular neoliberal policy assemblages.

Author

• Karl Kitching, University College Cork