Imagining powerful co-operative schools: Theorising dynamic co-operation with Spinoza

Abstract

The recent expansion of the English academies programme has initiated a period of significant change within the state education system. As established administration has been disrupted, new providers from business and philanthropy have entered the sector with a range of approaches to transform schools. This paper examines the development of co-operative schools, which are positioned as an ‘ethical alternative’ within the system and have proved popular with teachers and parents. Using a theory of co-operative power drawn from the philosophy of Spinoza (1632–1677), the author explores how co-operative schools have emerged, with and against the reforming agenda, using narratives of hope and resistance. Spinoza provides theoretical resources to critique this positioning and to project beyond the limiting narratives to an affirmative vision for co-operative schools.

Keywords:

• Academies
• academisation
• co-operative schools
• Spinoza

Notes

1. Conventional abbreviated citation is used when referring to Spinoza’s Ethics (e.g. EIP8S2 refers to Ethics, Part I Proposition 8, Scholium 2). Citations for the Ethics are quoted from Spinoza, B. (1996) Ethics, Edwin, M. Curley (trans.), London: Penguin 1996.

2. Figures provided by the Co-operative College, UK in April 2017.

3. There are three co-operative models, which were developed with investment from the Co-operative Group, UK and the Co-operative College, UK. These are: co-operative ‘trust’ schools, co-operative ‘sponsored’ academies and co-operative ‘convertor’ academies (for a full account see Woodin, 2015b).

4. Initially coined by the Stoics (Wolfson, 1934 via Lloyd), and present in the work of Spinoza’s contemporaries Descartes, Hobbes (Curley, 1988) and Leibniz (Deleuze, 1990).

5. In the analysis that follows I position the co-operative academy school as an individual in the ontological sense. That is, as a complex ‘body politic’ (Balibar, 1998, p. 64) an ‘individual of individuals’ (p. 64). Balibar’s interpretation of Spinoza’s theory of individuation is discussed by Gatens and Lloyd (1999, chapter 5). For an argument that runs counter to this see Rice (1990).