Beyond Human Capitalist Education: From Capitalocentrism to Carecentrism

This book challenges the dominant human-capital-centred model of education, arguing for an alternative carecentric educational paradigm founded on principles of social and ecological justice. With a preface by Michael Apple, it examines how human capital theory frames educational content and assessment, reviewing the impact of economics, psychology, sociology, and philosophy in shaping educational policy.

The book discusses the implications for care and social justice, exploring how a relational, social, and ecological justice-led approach in educational practice and experiential learning can foster critical thinking about the Other, including other species, the earth, and the self. It calls for a radical remodelling of education, offering a hopeful perspective for researchers, advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, and policymakers in educational policy, politics, sociology of education, and teacher education. Those interested in human capital theory will also find this work engaging.

Key Features/Benefits:

• Challenges the human-capital-centred model of education.
• Advocates for a carecentric educational paradigm based on social and ecological justice.
• Analyzes the influence of economics, psychology, sociology, and philosophy on educational policy.
• Explores the implications for care and social justice in education.
• Proposes a relational, social, and ecological justice-led approach to educational practice.
• Offers a hopeful perspective for the future of education.

Specifications:

• Author: Kathleen Lynch
• Publisher: Routledge
• Release Date: 2026-09-09
• Language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 1st
• Print Length: 284 pages
• Dimensions: 15.6 x 1.6 x 23.39 cm
• Weight: 422 g
• ISBN-10: 1032729902
• ISBN-13: 978-1032729909

This book is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand and reshape educational paradigms towards greater care and justice.