Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: The Case of the EU at-Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion Composite Indicator: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: M. Zieleńska, M. Wnuk.
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| Title: | Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: The Case of the EU at-Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion Composite Indicator: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: M. Zieleńska, M. Wnuk. |
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| Authors: | Zieleńska, Marianna1 (AUTHOR) mzielenska@uw.edu.pl, Wnuk, Magdalena2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy. Mar2025, Vol. 63 Issue 1, p23-43. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Academic discourse, *Academic debating, Critical discourse analysis, Social marginality, Social impact |
| Company/Entity: | European Union |
| Abstract: | Drawing on the critical discourse analysis of journals and working papers from 2011-2020 referring to the at-risk of poverty or social exclusion composite indicator (AROPE), we shed light on how benchmarks technicize academic discourse, particularly in its part contributed by economists. First developed to measure progress towards the poverty target set in the EU's Europe 2020 strategy, AROPE has easily permeated academic debate. Its anchoring in statistical procedures and expertise has allowed it to function in this debate as a neutral and purely technical measurement tool, obscuring the interests and normative choices underlying its design and implementation. As a result, the discursive practices associated with the benchmark have led to the reproduction and legitimization of the anti-poverty policy objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. Simultaneously, AROPE has provided a 'cognitive infrastructure' that enabled an economic view of the world geared towards raising competitiveness. It has made it possible to assess which Member State is doing well and which is doing poorly, and making recommendations on how the laggards should improve. Our analysis shows that benchmarks such as AROPE support the process of shaping Europe as a supranational entity, creating a picture of common European problems with uniform definitions, on the basis of which it is possible to divide Member States into better and worse performers and even promote common solutions through good practices. We conclude by highlighting that the academic discourse around AROPE, generated mainly by economists, reflects the growing interdependence of the academic and political spheres and the pressure for research to have social and political impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 183435072 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: The Case of the EU at-Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion Composite Indicator: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: M. Zieleńska, M. Wnuk. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zieleńska%2C+Marianna%22">Zieleńska, Marianna</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mzielenska@uw.edu.pl</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wnuk%2C+Magdalena%22">Wnuk, Magdalena</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Minerva%3A+A+Review+of+Science%2C+Learning+%26+Policy%22">Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy</searchLink>. Mar2025, Vol. 63 Issue 1, p23-43. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+discourse%22">Academic discourse</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+debating%22">Academic debating</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+discourse+analysis%22">Critical discourse analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+marginality%22">Social marginality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+impact%22">Social impact</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22European+Union%22">European Union</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Drawing on the critical discourse analysis of journals and working papers from 2011-2020 referring to the at-risk of poverty or social exclusion composite indicator (AROPE), we shed light on how benchmarks technicize academic discourse, particularly in its part contributed by economists. First developed to measure progress towards the poverty target set in the EU's Europe 2020 strategy, AROPE has easily permeated academic debate. Its anchoring in statistical procedures and expertise has allowed it to function in this debate as a neutral and purely technical measurement tool, obscuring the interests and normative choices underlying its design and implementation. As a result, the discursive practices associated with the benchmark have led to the reproduction and legitimization of the anti-poverty policy objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. Simultaneously, AROPE has provided a 'cognitive infrastructure' that enabled an economic view of the world geared towards raising competitiveness. It has made it possible to assess which Member State is doing well and which is doing poorly, and making recommendations on how the laggards should improve. Our analysis shows that benchmarks such as AROPE support the process of shaping Europe as a supranational entity, creating a picture of common European problems with uniform definitions, on the basis of which it is possible to divide Member States into better and worse performers and even promote common solutions through good practices. We conclude by highlighting that the academic discourse around AROPE, generated mainly by economists, reflects the growing interdependence of the academic and political spheres and the pressure for research to have social and political impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=183435072 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11024-024-09537-z Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 23 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Academic discourse Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic debating Type: general – SubjectFull: Critical discourse analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Social marginality Type: general – SubjectFull: Social impact Type: general – SubjectFull: European Union Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: The Case of the EU at-Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion Composite Indicator: Benchmarking and the Technicization of Academic Discourse: M. Zieleńska, M. Wnuk. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zieleńska, Marianna – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wnuk, Magdalena IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00264695 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 63 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy Type: main |
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