Foucault, Educational Research and the Issue of Autonomy

Abstract

This article seeks to demonstrate a particular application of Foucault's philosophical approach to a particular issue in education: that of personal autonomy. The paper surveys and extends the approach taken by James Marshall in his book Michel Foucault: Personal autonomy and education. After surveying Marshall's writing on the issue I extend Marshall's approach, critically analysing the work of Rob Reich and Meira Levinson, two contemporary philosophers who advocate models of personal autonomy as the basis for a liberal education.

Keywords:

• Michel Foucault
• James Marshall
• Rob Reich
• Meira Levinson
• autonomy
• education
• liberalism
• democracy
• rights