'It Makes Us Believe That It Is About Our Freedom': Notes on the Irony of the Learning Apparatus

The aim of this chapter is to reconsider the concepts 'educationalization' and 'the grammar of schooling' (see also Depaepe, 2005) in the light of the overwhelming importance that is ascribed to 'learning' today. Indeed, the word 'learning' has come to be indispensable for speaking about ourselves, others and society. A whole range of human activities, from childrearing, having sex, eating or communication to travelling and using free time, being a citizen and an employee, are regarded as competence based. It is therefore felt that they require a prior learning process.