The birth of neoprofessionalism in the context of neoliberal governmentality: The case of productive university teachers

In the regime of neoliberal governmentality, international competitiveness comes to define teachers as the source of a problem in that they can undermine national prospects. In order to improve the quality of human capital, the strategy of performance management has been introduced. Foucauldian scholars conceptualize its negative influence on university academics as performativity. However, Foucauldian researchers may overlook its positive influence on productive faculty members. In order to examine this possible aspect, 16 individual interviews were completed in America, Greece, South Africa, Mainland China, and Japan. The findings show that although productive university teachers suffered a considerable amount of pressure from this policy, it facilitated them to validate their academic commitment and to acquire social status. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.