Continuously reaffirmed, subtly accommodated, obviously missing, and fallaciously contested in UNESCO’s lifelong learning policy

Although the lifelong learning policy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has had a unique impact on international discussions over the last four decades, little historical research has revealed the ideological influences at work within UNESCO’s lifelong learning policy texts. With this in mind, this paper exposes the authoritative and marginal ideological influences within UNESCO’s lifelong learning policy during the period between the 1990s and the early 2000s. Specifically, this research’s analysis reveals that while social democratic liberalism as a dominant ideology was continuously reaffirmed in UNESCO’s lifelong learning policy texts during the period, neoliberal stances were also subtly accommodated and radical social democrats’ ideas missing in its recent lifelong learning policy texts. Furthermore, UNESCO’s lifelong learning was fallaciously critiqued as being opposed to another global development agendum, education for all (EFA). Implications for realising good policy and global justice in conditions dominated by neoliberal capitalism are discussed in depth.