Reflection of Zygmunt Bauman's liquid modernity theory on the functions of educations

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the reflection of Zygmunt Bauman's theory of Liquid Modernity on the Functions of Education. Method: This research was conducted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The study group consisted of 23 teachers and administrators working in a metropolitan city, selected using maximum variation sampling method. According to the maximum variation sampling, efforts were made to keep the participants as diverse as possible in terms of the category of the school they work in, type of school, gender, years of seniority, subject area, working period in the school, and school roles. Results: The research was conducted in accordance with the 5 dimensions identified within Zygmunt Bauman's framework of Liquid Modernity Theory, namely: Freedom, Technology, Liberalization, Consumer Culture, and Multiculturalism. In this scope, the findings of the research are detailed, showing that these 5 dimensions directly and indirectly affecting the "individual, social, political, economic, and philosophical functions" of education, as outlined in Bauman's metaphorical map. The data obtained under the dimension of Freedom generally revolve around the metaphors of "individualization and the collapse of social ties," affecting the "individual, social, political, and philosophical functions" of education. Under the dimension of Consumer Culture, the concept of "identity" is reached, with observed effects on "individual, social, economic, and philosophical functions." The metaphor reached under the dimension of Technology is "pluralism through the loss of time and space," impacting the "individual, social, economic, and philosophical functions" of education. Within the dimension of Liberalization, the concepts reached are "uncertainty and insecurity," affecting the "individual, social, political, and economic functions." Similar to technology, the concept of "pluralism" is prominent within the dimension of Multiculturalism, impacting the "social, political, and economic functions" of education (These results are summarized and contain sub-metaphors within the theoretical framework.). Conclusion and Suggestions: Based on the interpretation of the findings obtained, it is observed that the 5 dimensions of Liquid Modernity Theory have significant effects on the functions of education. When examined on a cons-pros scale, it can be stated that education policies need to be regulated according to the conditions and requirements of the era, and if failing to do so may mostly result in negative impacts on the functions of education related to the mentioned dimensions. Imposing responsibility on individuals or expecting solutions from individuals to mitigate or reduce negative impacts may not provide any benefit in terms of resolving issues at the societal level. In fact, this approach may further encourage individuals to rely solely on themselves, thus reinforcing the existing situation and conditions. Due to the expectation that the functions of education address various fields and meet many needs, regulations need to be made not only in the field of education but also in other areas affected by or affecting the functions. These suggestions are expressed in the relevant section of the thesis and specific to the function.