Marketization of the Urban Educational Space (original) (raw)

Springer International Handbooks of Education, 2017

Abstract

The Swedish education system has been thoroughly transformed in the last few decades, paralleling wider developments in other OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. However, in some respects the shift from a uniform, centrally regulated school system to one with far-reaching decentralization and market elements has been more radical and faster than elsewhere. The marketization of education has not been confined to urban areas, but it is most tangible there. This chapter firstly aims to add to our knowledge of how competition affects schools and students; secondly, it looks to critically examine marketization mainly as an urban phenomenon and discuss the consequences for rural areas. The Swedish development is situated in a wider Nordic and historical context and the contours of the new Swedish educational landscape are outlined. Some consequences of the school choice reforms and the resulting market-like situation are highlighted at societal, institutional and individual levels. It is concluded that the school market is far more visible and has a much stronger impact in the big city areas than in less densely populated regions. However, this does not mean that schools and youth in the rural regions are unaffected.

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