Benjamin Baez
A volume in Studies in the Philosophy of EducationSeries Editor John E. Petrovic, The University of AlabamaIn this book, Baez examines a series of governmental 'technologies' that hebelieves strongly characterize our present. The technologies that he addresses inthis book are information, statistics, databases, economy, and accountability. Heoffers arguments about the role these technologies play in contemporary politics.Specifically, Baez analyzes these technologies in terms of (the sometimesoppositional) rationalities for rendering reality thinkable, and, consequently,governable. These technologies bear on the field of education, but also exceed it.So, while issues in education frame many of the arguments in this book, the book’s also has usefulness to thoseoutside of field of education.Specifically, Baez concludes that the governmental technologies listed above all are coopted by neoliberalrationalities rendering our lives thinkable and governable through an array of devices for the management of risk,using the model of the economy, and heavily investing in the uses of information, statistics, databases, andoversight mechanisms associated with accountability. Baez leaves readerswith more questions than they might have had prior to reading the book, sothat they may re-imagine their own present and future and thus their ownforms of self-government.
