Table Of Content“This book’s vignettes of grassroots initiatives embodying potentially
sustainable and scalable alternatives to the commodification, privatisation
and marketisation of early childhood education and care will inspire early
childhood education activists and observers alike. Set within a thoughtful
counter-hegemonic narrative, these examples from across several conti-
nents should energize those seeking to effect system change.”
Eva Lloyd, Director at The International Centre for the Study of the Mixed
Economy of Childcare and visiting Professor at the University College London
“This book deftly reveals and challenges the encroachment of neoliberal-
ism upon early childhood education. For several decades, in many parts of
the world, neoliberalism has infused early childhood education policy. And
policy in turn, has (attempted to) permeate how we construct ourselves as
educators, academics and researchers, how we position children and fam-
ilies, and the aspirations we seek from early childhood education itself.
Nevertheless, this is an optimistic book, reminding us that neoliberalism
is not, nor ever has been, an inevitable political condition. There are many
points of resistance. Throughout the world, early childhood educators,
researchers and providers envisage their work differently, countering the
narrative that positions early childhood education as a commodity, parents
as consumers, and children as human capital. This book shares vignettes
of these acts of resistance, reminding us of our own agency, our capacities
to be catalysts for change. Our resistances operate on many levels and are
apparent in many different ways: in our conversations, the values we rein-
force or question, our interactions and intentions, the way we research.
Ultimately, as this book asserts, we must advocate for the right of all chil-
dren to an early childhood education that recognises them as citizens in
the here and now.”
Frances Press, Professor of Early Childhood and Education Policy, Manchester
Metropolitan University
THE DECOMMODIFICATION
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND CARE
The Decommodification of Early Childhood Education and Care: Resisting Neoliberalism
explores how processes of marketisation and privatisation of ECEC have impacted
understandings of children, childcare, parents, and the workforce, providing
concrete examples of resistance to commodification from diverse contexts.
Through processes of marketisation and privatisation, neoliberal discourses
have turned ECEC into a commodity whereby economic principles of competi-
tion and choice have replaced the purpose of education. The Decommodification of
Early Childhood Education and Care: Resisting Neoliberalism offers new and alterna-
tive understandings of policy and practice. Written with co-authors from diverse
countries, case studies vividly portray resistance to children as human capital,
to the “consumentality” of parents, and to the alienation of the early childhood
workforce. Ending with messages of hope, the authors discuss the demise of
neoliberalism and offer new ways forward.
As an international book with global messages contributing to theory, policy,
and practice regarding alternatives to a neoliberal and commodified vision of
ECEC, this book offers inspiration for policy makers and practitioners to develop
local resistance solutions. It will also be of interest to post-graduate students,
researchers, educators, and pre-service educators with an interest in critical ped-
agogy, ECEC policy, and ECEC practice.
Michel Vandenbroeck is an Associate Professor in Family Pedagogy at Ghent
University, Belgium.
Joanne Lehrer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the
Université du Quebec en Outaouais, Canada.
Linda Mitchell is a Professor in the Division of Education at the University of
Waikato, New Zealand.
Contesting Early Childhood
Series Editors: Liselott Mariett Olsson and
Michel Vandenbroeck
This ground-breaking series questions the current dominant discourses sur-
rounding early childhood, and offers instead alternative narratives of an area that
is now made up of a multitude of perspectives and debates.
The series examines the possibilities and risks arising from the accelerated
development of early childhood services and policies, and illustrates how it has
become increasingly steeped in regulation and control. Insightfully, this collec-
tion of books shows how early childhood services can in fact contribute to ethical
and democratic practices. The authors explore new ideas taken from alternative
working practices in both the western and developing world, and from other
academic disciplines such as developmental psychology. Current theories and
best practice are placed in relation to the major processes of political, social,
economic, cultural and technological change occurring in the world today.
In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia
Listening, Researching and Learning, Second Edition
Carlina Rinaldi
Rethinking Environmental Education in a Climate Change Era
Weather Learning in Early Childhood
Tonya Rooney and Mindy Blaise
Slow Knowledge and the Unhurried Child
Time for Slow Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education
Alison Clark
The Decommodification of Early Childhood Education and Care
Resisting Neoliberalism
Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer and Linda Mitchell
For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/
Contesting-Early-Childhood/book-series/SE0623
THE DECOMMODIFICATION
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND CARE
Resisting Neoliberalism
Edited by Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer,
and Linda Mitchell
Cover image credit: Ariella Galita
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne
Lehrer, and Linda Mitchell; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer, and Linda Mitchell
to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the
authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance
with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-11029-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-11030-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-21810-4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003218104
Typeset in Bembo
by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
CONTENTS
Contributor Biographies viii
Introduction: From the Politically Impossible to
the Politically Inevitable 1
Peter Moss
1 On Commodification and Decommodification 15
Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer, and Linda Mitchell
2 Resisting Children as Human Capital 28
Joanne Lehrer, Brooke Richardson, Michel Vandenbroeck,
and Linda Mitchell
3 Resisting the Consumentality of Parents 81
Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer, and Linda Mitchell
4 Resisting the Alienation of the Workforce 147
Linda Mitchell, Michel Vandenbroeck, and Joanne Lehrer
5 Conclusions 214
Michel Vandenbroeck, Joanne Lehrer, and Linda Mitchell
References 223
Index 254
CONTRIBUTOR BIOGRAPHIES
Vina Adriany is an Associate Professor at the Department of Early Childhood
Education and a Head for Centre of Gender and Childhood Studies, Universitas
Pendidikan Indonesia. Her research focuses on the issues of gender and social
justice in early childhood education, the construction of children and childhood
in marginal communities, as well as the impact of neoliberalism in ECE. Her
research mostly adopts theories that include feminist poststructuralism and
postcolonialism. She is currently an editorial board member Policy Futures in
Education, SAGE; International Journal of Early Years Education, Routledge;
Global Childhood Studies, SAGE; and Children and Society, Willey. She was a
guest editor for Policy Futures in Education for “Neoliberal policies and practices
of early childhood education in Asia”. She was also a guest editor for Journal
of Pedagogy for “Decolonialisation of Early Childhood Education”. She is
currently editing a special issue of “Indonesian Perspectives of Early Childhood
Education” for Policy Futures in Education Journal.
Sonja Arndt is a Senior Lecturer in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education
at the University of Melbourne and Leader of the Global Childhoods Seminar
Series. Her studies of teachers’ cultural identity formation and intercultural
relationships led to her work in the New Zealand Aid Programme, UNICEF
Indonesia, and the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, where
she worked on the design and implementation of an ECE teacher mentoring
programme in Kupang, Indonesia.
Maarit Alasuutari is a Professor of Early Childhood Education and PI of the
multidisciplinary research profiling action “Social Sustainability for Children
and Families” at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Her recent research
topics include early childhood policies and services, parent-teacher relationship,
Contributor Biographies ix
children’s position and voice in ECEC, and documentation in ECEC. Professor
Alasuutari has published widely nationally and internationally.
Royne K. Berget is Industry leader for non-profit kindergardens in Virke. He
was educated as a kindergarden teacher at Høgskolen in Finnmark in 1997, and
since then has taken continuing education in leadership – Løft metoden. He has
23 years of experience as a Kindergarden teacher, of which 18 years was as leader
of Smedhusåsen barnehage SA (until December 2020). Royne has been active in
special interest representation and lobbying for the kindergarden-sector through
different organisations and resource groups for several years. He has also written
lots of chronicles, has held lectures about challenges in the kindergarden-sector
throughout Norway, and has contributed with chapters/vignettes in several
textbooks.
Marie-Laure Cadart is a medical doctor and an anthropologist. She worked for
many years in preventive health care before engaging in professional development
and research. She committed herself in the resistance against the commodification
of early childhood and was one of the initiators of the collective « Pas de 0 de
conduite pour les enfants de 3 ans ». She is a member of the board of the National
Union of preventive health physicians and an honorary member of the board of
ACEPP (the association of parent-led early childhood centres).
Donella Cobb is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University
of Waikato and Co-Director of the Centre for Global Studies in Education.
Donella’s research explores the political economy of education, education policy,
and teacher development. From 2018 to 2020, Donella worked as an advisor
for the New Zealand Aid Programme, UNICEF Indonesia, and the Indonesian
Ministry of Education and Culture to implement an ECE teacher mentoring
programme in Kupang, Indonesia.
Nicole Cummings-Morgan is a Registered Early Childhood Educator
(RECE), and Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), a children’s book author and
the Executive Director of W1derus Educational Workshops, a not-for-profit
organisation. Nicole is the team lead for the Community of Black ECES, which
is a community of practice with the Association of Early Childhood Educators
of Ontario (AECEO). Her goal, professionally and personally, is to support
children, families, and individuals be the best they could be. She is particularly
interested in helping those within her Black community.
Lisa Johnston is a Registered Early Childhood Educator, PhD Student in the
Faculty of Education at York University, professor, and childcare activist. Her
research addresses the lives of early childhood educators at the intersection of
pedagogy and policy, disrupting neoliberal and developmental temporalities
that shape ECEs and their work and seeking to create possibilities for ECEs
