UTW1001A - Comparing Studies on Neoliberalism in Modern Society

This essay critically compares Cheng's (2016) and Ledin and Machin's (2017) studies on neoliberalism-in-action, examining their rationales and methodologies. Cheng's study focuses on neoliberal subjectivities within formal education and the changing value-structure, while Ledin and Machin analyze the shifts in aesthetic standards and spatial arrangements, particularly in domestic kitchens. The essay highlights the differences in their analytical methodologies, with Cheng employing ethnographic research and in-depth interviews, and Ledin and Machin utilizing semiotic analysis of IKEA catalogs. The author concludes by justifying the suitability of ethnographic methodology, including value-coding and in-depth interviews, for their intended research topic, emphasizing the role of language as a social practice.

Running head: A CRITICAL COMPARATIVE PAPER
A Critical Comparative Paper
Name of the student
Name of the university
Authors note

A CRITICAL COMPARATIVE PAPER
a. Explain the rationale for Cheng’s (2016) and Ledin and Machin’s (2017) respective studies
of neoliberalism-in-action, i.e. why they are studying what they are studying with reference to
what you have learnt about the phenomenon of neoliberalism in Weeks 1-4.
This article is aims to understand the neoliberal subjectivities in the light of “learning
citizen” and the underlying value-structure way that motivates them to do so.
Formal education in the neo-liberal setup witnesses a discursive shift of the value-
structure in people understands of education. The rationale of Cheng’s article are as follow:
 The nature of formal education in producing neo-liberal subjectivities is premised on
the nexus of class-based politics of human capital, thus the interest of the privileged
class determines the hegemonic power play of human capital.
 In this way, the class-based politics intensifies the pressure and tension of not
confirming to the ideal form and this result in the restructuring of value structure in
the thought process of the people. For instance, the definition of failure is largely
associated with the individualistic capabilities of one person.
 These kind of constraints gets enmeshed in the bio-politics where a particular set of
material relations subject them to misrecognition, and misconception. (no change
done)
Thus, it becomes important to notice how the notion of free—market capitalism in itself
promotes constraints and restrain the freedom of individual.
Along with the transformations taking place in the formal education system, the spatial
arrangements in the households are also changing. Kitchen in modern times provide new kind
of choice, which adapts to the ideology of neo-liberalism that is dynamic, flexibility, creative
and self-management. Cheng’s study on the changing value-structure is embedded in the time

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of neoliberalism, whereas the focus of Ledin and Machin is in the change in aesthetic
standards that lead to the naturalization and legitimization of neo-liberalism. Ledin and
Machin in their study of how sense of understand space is changing in the new discourse of
neo-liberalism. The rationale of Ledin and Machin’s work are as follows:
 The ethos of neo-liberal leads to technologization of all aspects of life. Even if it is
not formally imposed but it refers to the more or less management of our life-style in
such a form that leads to become more productive in the market. The changes that
have occurred in the society have not only affected the aesthetic standards but also
have affected the language pattern that have different set of meanings attached to
them.
 Newer form of writing, which is more a compressed version of traditional writing
depicts how communication has been reconstituted in the emerging values of neo-
liberal format.
 The constant negotiation of semiosis of space between the social and physical world
influences the behaviour pattern of individuals.
These are reflected to one understanding of relationship and their social status. Thus, it is
very important to explore the emerging area of space management and the repercussion it
creates on the neo-liberal order.
b. Explain how Cheng’s (2016) and Ledin and Machin’s (2017) analytical methodologies in
their respective studies differ, i.e. what types of data they use, what analytical frameworks
they use to analyse the data and how each methodology leads to findings that enhance our
understanding of neoliberalism-in-action.
Cheng has collected primary data from the students studying in SPI by in-site
observation and by employing in-depth interview. Ethnographic studies refer to the study

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people and cultures in a systematic way. In these kind of research the researchers completely
submerges oneself in the lives and the cultures of the researched. This research is employs
ethnographic research methods like coding were the sample population ranges from 21 to 25
years of age. The author tries to examine the role of formal education and its overall impact
in the performance of the youth of the country. The analytical framework employed in this
research employs with particularly interpretative research tradition. Following this tradition
of research framework the authors tries to explore on new and upcoming strategies that are
used to transform the educational site into “Marketplaces” of exchange human as capital.
Thus, it resulted to a formation of dominant set of values where overseas universities are
more privileged than the local and public universities. This subtle form of competition creates
stress and tension in the minds of the students who starts to dissociate education with
employment, and develops a sense of denigration of private degree education. In this way, the
production of human capital is based on the class-based politics of inclusion and exclusion.
Ledin and Machin uses semiotic analysis for understanding historical transformation
of social space particularly the domestic kitchen, owing to the neo-liberal logic of
transformation. This work is based on secondary analysis of the Swedish IKEA catalogues
and further comparisons are made with digital catalogues of UK and US. Secondary analysis
refers to the access of data that are not gathered by the researcher. These kind of data is not
collected in a first-hand basis. The digital catalogues refer to the publication graphical
interface that are presented in the online or digital media. Unlike, Cheng’s research, this
article takes note of the historical transformation of kitchen spaces and analyses the visual
presentations of a kitchen. Thus, the analytical framework is employs in interpretative
approach, which uses social semiotics to describe the change-taking place in communication
style and our lifestyle. In this way, the researcher tries to unfold the dominant ideologies that
already exist in our everyday life and are preloaded with meaning. Thus, the construction of

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space in neoliberal format depicts how social space is loaded with symbolic and indexical
meanings. In the way, it affirms to the neoliberal logic of free market capitalism.
C. Which analytical methodology would be more suitable for your intended topic for the
Paper 3 assignment? Make sure to adequately substantiate your choice of analytical
methodology by arguing for its suitability for your intended topic.
For my assignment, I want to apply ethnographic methodology employing methods of
value-coding and in-depth interviews. The sampling size will be small and will be based on
non-probability sampling method. My research design will be based on the qualitative
research paradigm that tries to understand meaning of individual action. The independent
variable of my research will be language because language can be identified as a social
practice and that can be used to decipher meaning behaving the social practices.

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References and Bibliography
Cheng, Y.E., 2016. Learning in neoliberal times: Private degree students and the politics of
value coding in Singapore. Environment and Planning A, 48(2), pp.292-308.
Ledin, P., & Machin, D. (2018). Forty years of IKEA kitchens and the rise of a neoliberal
control of domestic space. Visual Communication, 1470357218762601.