Misadventures of education in the kingdom of psycholand: the alleged scientific support of the European Higher Education Area

Abstract

This paper critically assesses the discourse that justifies the latest educational reforms in European and Spanish higher education. It is presented as a techno-scientific discourse that attempts to support one of the most important current practices of subjectivity -the educational one- using a particular definition of psychology that forget the fact of the irreducible plurality of psychological practices and knowledges. This paper aims thus to make a double critical assessment. On the one hand, about the rhetorical use of psycopedagogic knowledge as scientific (indisputable) support for the reforms. On the other hand, about the assumption that there is a well definite discipline -psychology- which is unified, scientifically established and able to offer that support. The paper consider also the current socio-cultural scenario of globalization and neoliberalism as a context that makes sense, within the ideology of entrepreneurship, such use of psychology as a scientific guarantor of education reform. Special emphasis is placed on the promotion of subjectivity linked to that ideology, which requires individuals gifted with flexibility, self-monitoring skills and full responsibility for their fate.