Power and resistance in further education: findings from a study of first-tier managers

Abstract

This article presents findings from a study of first-tier managers in four further education colleges as they attempt to manage perpetual change within a context of performativity and mistrust. It begins with a discussion of power in the sector before presenting findings of routine resistance against ever increasing control and surveillance within colleges. First-tier managers were found to be primarily the audience for routine resistance rather than the target and so faced the dilemma of colluding with resistance to maintain cooperation, or challenging the behaviours. The article concludes that despite the demonisation of critical opinions in the lifelong learning sector, resistance in further education, far from contravening the principles of academic citizenship, is a form of educational fundamentalism and an attempt to prioritise learners in the face of financial and managerial imperatives.