Informal Education as a Derridean Gift: a Deconstructive Reading of the Principles Guiding Youth Work Practice Within Neoliberal Policy Regimes

Abstract

This paper reflects upon the underpinning principles of informal education and youth work practice via the philosophical lens of post-structural philosopher Jacques Derrida, by introducing notions of the trace, différance, justice and the gift. Once these philosophical themes are introduced, they are then applied to the underpinning principles of informal education and youth work practice, as introduced by Jeffs and Smith (1999, 2005), paying particular attention to notions of voluntary participation, democracy, fairness, conversation and well-being. The paper asserts that such philosophical consideration of theory, and practice, can provide further insight into important dimensions of youth work, such as how it has been historically difficult to evaluate such practice in a policy domain, as well as pondering the tensions between its principles and pressures to ‘professionalise’ its service. The paper concludes by asserting the importance of informal education and youth work as a form of an improvised ‘gift’, one that is difficult to be subsumed within an overly administrative rational ‘economy’ so as to inform discussion and debate in theoretical, practice and policy domains. The paper argues that the use of a Derridean lens opens up such discussions via new considerations so as to assert the importance of youth work endeavours that challenge economic rationality.

Compelled by an Emotional Economy of Care: Explorations of the Youth Justice Student ‘Career’

“…As already highlighted by Gee (2020) the duality of gift and economy can provide a useful lens upon youth work practices and the argument here is that this also translates into the field of youth justice. This section provides insight into this duality, which might be unfamiliar to the reader, leaning on the work of Derrida.…”

“…This provides an inductive form of analysis to see how the student articulates their own reading of such dualities. As indicated in previous research (Gee, 2017;Gee, 2019;Gee, 2020;Mignot and Gee, 2020) the use of such a duality framework provides useful insights into career articulation, exploring where there are tensions and paradoxes prominent in the text, where emergent 'overarching paradoxes' become deduced. It is to be acknowledged here that this deconstructive approach is not asserting that there is 'One' reading in which to be found 'underneath' the text, rather, that there are multiple readings, where the researcher provides a particular reading to inform the literature, based upon the literature review already announced (Caputo, 2000).…”

Paradoxes of ‘Career’ and ‘Progress’ in the Neoliberal University: A Self-Critique and Deconstruction

“…In his view, a critical reading of career is required to influence others and bring about change on these issues. Gee (2016Gee ( , 2017Gee ( , 2019Gee ( , 2020Gee ( , 2022a. (Ricky)…”

‘Capturing the magic': grassroots perspectives on evaluating open youth work

“…We start from a concern that is widely discussed in youth work practice, research and activism: a disjuncture between the informal and process-oriented nature of youth work, and requirements for prescriptive monitoring and evaluation (e.g. Duffy 2017;Fusco et al 2013;Gee 2020;Ord 2014;Taylor and Taylor 2013). The literature highlights key tensions: (1) predefined outcomes and 'pre and post' measurement are incompatible with the open timescale and purpose of youth work; (2) anti-oppressive and youth-centred principles are undermined by labelling, surveillance, and externally defined outcomes; and (3) bureaucratic systems of measurement clash with informality.…”