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Journal article

The political rhetoric of parity of esteem

Abstract:
The vocational and academic routes that make up the English education system have different purposes, for different stakeholders, with different outcomes; they can be complementary routes but are not analogous. Consequently, calls for parity of esteem belie the fundamental intention and importance of each. While these calls have persisted for over 70 years, parity between the two routes has not been achieved. This paper questions whether the term parity of esteem is useful or simply political rhetoric. It argues that parity of esteem is unachievable when one of the routes is regarded without much esteem at all, and that political rhetoric focussing on social mobility through education, specifically higher education as a means to achieving it, actively undermines the vocational route, making parity of the routes a political pipe dream.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1080/03054985.2020.1866522

Authors


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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
Education
Oxford college:
Green Templeton College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-2902-0860


Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Journal:
Oxford Review of Education More from this journal
Volume:
47
Issue:
4
Pages:
513-528
Publication date:
2021-01-18
Acceptance date:
2020-12-16
DOI:
EISSN:
1465-3915
ISSN:
0305-4985


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1149929
Local pid:
pubs:1149929
Deposit date:
2020-12-16

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