Abstract
A preoccupation with economic returns on university credentials or “learning for earning” is apparent in higher education today in Canada and beyond. Human capital discourse, however, is problematic for several reasons including its failed promises and role in reproducing inequality. Various writers see the “capabilities approach” as an alternative to the emphasis on employability in higher education, as well as society more generally. A critical capabilities approach, in my view, should be accompanied by the political economy of professional work. Drawing on examples from undergraduate students, this chapter considers how a capabilities approach can respond to students’ aspirations for socially valuable work through programs like community-engaged learning.
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Taylor, A. (2022). Showing Up for the Rat Race: Beyond Human Capital Models of Higher Education. In: Abdi, A.A., Misiaszek, G.W. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook on Critical Theories of Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86343-2_23
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