Higher Education in Post-Neoliberal Times: Building Human Capabilities in the Emergent Period of Uncertainty

This paper argues that the neoliberal consensus about education finance has broken down due to growing economic inequality. First, I use a comparative historical analysis of political alliances examine patterns world trade and nations’ policies for educational development since World War II. The United States emphasized STEM-collegiate preparation all students, while most countries continued dual emphasis on technical-tertiary higher education. Educational policy in US Pacific region also shifted towards reliance markets student loans resulting worsening inequality access. Nations with technical academic pathways secondary postsecondary systems expand college enrollment rates more rapidly than US. They experience class conflict between working–middle new technological elite. Next, how from national planning aligned public funding market-based incentives institutional development, further exposing gaps opportunity within nations. Finally, recognizing variations systemic causes inequality, argue governments, agencies, civic activists can best promote equity by organizing address barriers groups left behind wake withering policy.