The neoliberal arts : exploring neoliberal reform implications for liberal arts enrolments in New Zealand universities : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Arts (Sociology), Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHackshaw, Richard
dc.date.accessioned2016-05-02T03:58:58Z
dc.date.available2016-05-02T03:58:58Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractAs a result of various social and economic factors the tertiary education sector in New Zealand (as well as a number of other developed countries) experienced dramatic changes during the 1980s and 1990s. Neoliberal regimes advocated changes in higher education policy in order to decrease state resourcing and to align universities towards providing greater economic gains. During the 1990s and early 2000s a number of prominent critics argued that a natural consequence of these changes would be a decrease in enrolments in subjects that were seen to be non-vocational. In particular enrolments in subjects within the ‘liberal arts’ were felt to be at threat during the first decade of the new millennium as it was felt that students would employ neoliberal notions of economic rationalism in their selection of higher education, and opt for profitable vocational forms of higher education. By collecting, codifying, and analysing all enrolment figures for both Massey University, and for all universities across New Zealand, for the years 2001 to 2010 it was possible to determine whether liberal arts enrolments experienced a decline within Massey University and New Zealand. The results of this analysis showed that at the national level there is a slight incline in liberal arts subject enrolments as a percentage of overall enrolments, while the Massey data shows a greater incline. The counter-intuitive increase in expressly non-vocational enrolments is attributed to flaws in the argument that liberal arts enrolments would decrease as a result of the increasing entrepreneurial tendencies of students, and the continuing predilection of students to plan their course of study around personal interest, and not vocational aspiration.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10179/7751
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherMassey Universityen_US
dc.rightsThe Authoren_US
dc.subjectHumanistic educationen_US
dc.subjectLiberal artsen_US
dc.subjectHigher educationen_US
dc.subjectEconomic aspectsen_US
dc.subjectNeoliberalismen_US
dc.subjectNew Zealanden_US
dc.titleThe neoliberal arts : exploring neoliberal reform implications for liberal arts enrolments in New Zealand universities : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Arts (Sociology), Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealanden_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
massey.contributor.authorHackshaw, Richarden_US
thesis.degree.disciplineSociologyen_US
thesis.degree.grantorMassey Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
01_front.pdf
Size:
53.85 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
02_whole.pdf
Size:
643.3 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
804 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Theses and Dissertations