The School Story: Young Adult Narratives in the Age of Neoliberalism

The School Story: Young Adult Narratives in the Age of Neoliberalism explores the work of contemporary writers, filmmakers, and critics who reflect on the school experience, revealing a mounting sense of crisis in education around the world. It examines serious novels for teens, light-hearted middle-grade fiction, and Malala Yousafzais autobiography, highlighting the influence of neoliberal initiatives on school experience.

Format: Hardback
Length: 196 pages
Publication date: 04 February 2022
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi

The School Story: Young Adult Narratives in the Age of Neoliberalism delves into the examination of the works of contemporary writers, filmmakers, and critics who, in their reflection on the realm of school experience, contribute to shaping dominant ideas about education. The creations discussed primarily revolve around stories aimed at children and young adults. David Aitchison takes a comprehensive look at serious novels for teens, encompassing works such as Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Faiza Guènes' Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow, the lighthearted and middle-grade fiction of Andrew Clements and Tommy Greenwald, and Malala Yousafzais autobiography for young readers, I Am Malala. He also engages with stories that center around young individuals, such as those featured in novels like Sapphires' Push and films like Battle Royale and Cooties. While these narratives vary greatly in their portrayal of young life, they all exhibit a growing sense of crisis in education worldwide, particularly in terms of equity (the degree to which students from diverse backgrounds have fair opportunities to receive quality education) and empowerment (the extent to which diverse students are encouraged to develop strength, confidence, and selfhood as learners).

Drawing particular attention to the impact of neoliberal initiatives on school experiences, this book explores the significance of learning and success being increasingly measured by entrepreneurship, competitive individualism, and marketplace gains. The author remains attentive to the ways in which power structures, institutional routines, school spaces, and social relations operate within the contemporary school story, offering provocative insights into a genre that speaks profoundly to the increasingly precarious position of education in the twenty-first century.

Weight: 439g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496837622