Journal article
GATS: long-term strategy for the commodification of education
Publication Details
Authors: | Scherrer, C. |
Publication year: | 2005 |
Journal: | Review of International Political Economy |
Pages range : | 484-510 |
Volume number: | 12 |
Start page: | 484 |
End page: | 510 |
ISSN: | 0969-2290 |
Abstract
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) covers also the cross-border provision of education. Currently negotiations are underway to expand the scope of the liberalization commitments in GATS. The article describes the strategies that allowed education to be seen as a tradable commodity. It analyzes the specific role of GATS procedures and of the already existent GATS commitments in the process of the commodification of education. It assesses the competitive lead of Anglo-Saxon providers. It looks at what is at stake in the current round taking the case of the EU as an example. The EU stands for countries that have not yet made many commitments and are now under pressure to liberalize education. The article argues that the concerns about the future impact of GATS are to be taken seriously. In line with the spread of neo-liberal constitutionalism, GATS provides a political and legal framework for deregulation and privatization of education. GATS can be used to secure the power of capital in the long term by privileging private owners of educational services in relation to the public and to the actual providers of these services, the faculty.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) covers also the cross-border provision of education. Currently negotiations are underway to expand the scope of the liberalization commitments in GATS. The article describes the strategies that allowed education to be seen as a tradable commodity. It analyzes the specific role of GATS procedures and of the already existent GATS commitments in the process of the commodification of education. It assesses the competitive lead of Anglo-Saxon providers. It looks at what is at stake in the current round taking the case of the EU as an example. The EU stands for countries that have not yet made many commitments and are now under pressure to liberalize education. The article argues that the concerns about the future impact of GATS are to be taken seriously. In line with the spread of neo-liberal constitutionalism, GATS provides a political and legal framework for deregulation and privatization of education. GATS can be used to secure the power of capital in the long term by privileging private owners of educational services in relation to the public and to the actual providers of these services, the faculty.
