Politics of social partnerships: a framework for theorizing

Abstract

This paper considers the politics of neo‐liberal reform of education and training in the specific context of social partnerships. Social partnerships are hybrid social spaces formed when a range of interests/partners work together for mutual benefit. Partnerships are one of a series of hybridized social spaces which have been formed as a consequence of the trend to neo‐liberal governance. The paper begins by situating the study of social partnerships in wider concerns about neo‐liberal reform and politics. It reviews literature on social partnerships as a way of identifying the different approaches to the conceptualization of conflict or practical politics. These are role conflict, interest conflict, and regime conflict. It also draws on a series of empirical research projects on social partnerships in Australia which have identified persistent points of tension within partnership formation and maintenance. Drawing these conceptualizations and persistent points of tension together provides a framework which can guide systematic inquiry of social partnerships. The paper suggests that this framework facilitates research by naming different types of political action. It encourages a multi‐dimensional analysis of partnership politics rather than presenting partnerships as either a celebratory or categorical expression of neo‐liberal political rationality.

Keywords:

• Social partnerships
• Politics
• Policy sociology
• Neo‐liberal reform

Notes

* Corresponding author: Faculty of Education, Monash University, Room 338, Building 6, Clayton Campus, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia. Email: [email protected]

We acknowledge the funding received from the Australian Research Council (1994–1997), Monash University (1999, 2003), the National Research and Evaluation Committee (2002–2003), and the Victorian Department of Education and Training (1996, 2002).

TAFE Institutes are similar to Colleges of Further Education in England and Community Colleges in North America.

The Crown in right of the State of Victoria 2002. This publication is based on the Evaluation of the Local Learning and Employment Networks, first published in 2002 by the Department of Education and Training, Victoria. Reproduced with permission. Not an official publication. The State of Victoria accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any part of this material and bears no responsibility for any modifications made. Except to the extent that a license is not required under the Copyright Act 1968, reproduction, modification, or adaptation without the permission of the State of Victoria is strictly forbidden.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Terri Seddon *

* Corresponding author: Faculty of Education, Monash University, Room 338, Building 6, Clayton Campus, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia. Email: [email protected]