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English summary
Introduction
A significant part of educational science rhetoric emphasizes that the world has
undergone profound changes. Talk of globalization – „the discourse of
globalization‟- claims that various phenomena are now interconnected and that
this results in a variety of underlying tensions that simply must be dealt with.
Radical transformations in the education system and the labour market are
associated to globalization, as if there were an unquestionable, essential, causal
link between this and that in that particular case (Angus, 2004; Wilding, 1997).
Formal training is focused, and made into some sort of salvation and something
that must be prioritized. Some scientists call it „The Education Gospel‟ (Grubb
& Lazerson, 2006).
Both to „the discourse of globalization‟ and „The Education Gospel‟, it is
possible to link multiple discursive manifestations like partnership,
collaboration, participation and 'lifelong learning', all of which have great
impact in various policy documents at both a national and an international level.
These manifestations are launched as strategies for coping with the many
assumed challenges of globalization and in the motley crew of these
imperatives, described above, the talk concerning school development is a
typical feature.
School development is a frequently used word in Sweden and has been so
during at least the previous 15 years. The concept is given a prominent position
in a number of texts, more often in educational contexts. It is no overstatement
to speak of school development as a branch.
There are, says Foucault (1977/2003), reasons to respond skeptically, especially
for arrangements or rituals of power marked by freedom and possibility claims
– so called „self-discipline‟ – e.g. such that make subjects feel empowered.
Authoritarian tendencies and claims to power, in order to follow Foucault
further, may namely emerge in a seemingly democratic discourse.
School development may sound appropriate and commendable, just like
student care can, but even such terms presuppose something, such as students
would be especially in need of care or that schools would be particularly in need
of development. Of course, that kind of axioms may be questioned, when in
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