No concession without demand

Neoliberalism and neoliberals: What are we talking about?

“…Given the role of values in judgement, the claim (above) that McKeown () fails to specify what he means by neoliberalism and, therefore, readers cannot determine the ‘correctness’ (or otherwise) of his position, requires unpacking. What must be recognised is that meaningful understanding cannot occur or be provided in a moral or evaluative vacuum.…”

“…Nonetheless, polarisation corrodes discourse when organisations ‘take sides’ in debates they purport to chair and, we might add, unreflective or extravagant partisanship in academic writing coarsens argument. Mindful of these dangers, my criticism of McKeown () and others who plough similar furrows is not that he or they are incorrect. Instead, I propose that, absent sufficient clarification (an admittedly question‐begging statement), readers have no way of determining ‘correctness’ (argumentative coherence), and many of the comments made about neoliberalism might, in consequence, be considered intemperate.…”

“…In an editorial that Thorne describes as ‘superb’ (), McKeown () claimed that ‘public health and welfare services are ever more precarious in the face of the onslaught of neoliberal austerity policies’ (p. 2521). Further, neoliberalism consolidates ‘global wealth in the hands of a tiny few’ (p. 2521) and, following Galbraith, this represents or can be called ‘a war waged by the rich against the poor’ (p. 2521).…”

Love and resistance: Re‐inventing radical nurses in everyday struggles

“…Elsewhere, I have urged nurses to be more critically minded, in relation to both the epistemological basis of their practice and the wider society they work in (McKeown, , ). This is a pedagogical, a professional and, ultimately, an activist task (McKeown, Carey, Rhodes, & Jones, ).…”

Social justice for all: Are we there yet?

“…How can we act to achieve a more just and fairer society for all? McKeown () urges us to political activism and highlights the need for nurses to campaign against ideologies that harm people. It is important that we not only advocate to maintain and sustain services in a climate of reduced government spending, but also advocate for more just and fair societies that include elements basic to human flourishing – safe housing and meaningful employment.…”