Neoliberalism and neoliberals: What are we talking about?

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Nursing Studies
• Academic Writing

Background:

• The terms "neoliberalism" and "neoliberal" appear frequently in academic literature, particularly within nursing studies.
• These terms often carry negative connotations and are used pejoratively by authors.
• The specific meaning and application of these descriptors are frequently unclear to readers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the usage and implications of the terms "neoliberalism" and "neoliberal" in academic writing.
• To advocate for clearer and more precise use of these terms by scholars.
• To discourage "virtue signalling" without critical argumentation in academic discourse.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of academic papers utilizing the terms "neoliberalism" and "neoliberal".
• Examination of the context and role these terms play within scholarly arguments.
• Assessment of the clarity and substance provided to readers regarding the terms' definitions.

Main Results:

• The terms "neoliberalism" and "neoliberal" are employed with varying degrees of significance across different papers.
• A consistent lack of substantive definition hinders reader comprehension of the terms' intended meaning.
• Pejorative use of these terms is common, particularly in nursing-related academic writing.

Conclusions:

• Scholars must exercise greater care in defining and using terms like "neoliberalism" and "neoliberal".
• Ambiguous or pejorative use of such terms without critical elaboration should be minimized.
• Promoting clarity and substantive argumentation is essential for rigorous academic communication.