Cultural and gender politics in Australian education, the rise of edu-capitalism and the 'fragile project' of critical educational research

This paper draws on research by Australians on Australian education to explore the tension between being critical and being marginalised. In it, the author examines how research is positioned in the changing field of education in relation to government, society and the economy in the context of the rise of edu-capitalism globally. The author then explores the policy shifts framing the cultural and gender politics of the research/policy problematic in Australia from the perspective of policy critique, policy service and policy advocacy. The author considers how the global reconfiguring and reframing of higher education is impacting on the nature and institutional base of educational research, and it's gendered implications. Finally, the author argues that critical educational research is what makes educational research distinctive and also 'makes a difference' within a democratic society. [Author introduction, ed]