Western Australian Institute for Educational Research 33rd Annual Research Forum: Truth: Educational Research in the Era of Alt Truths University of Notre Dame, 1.00 pm to 6.00 pm, Saturday 4 August 2018 Keynote presenter

Dr Brad Gobby BA, Grad Dip Ed, MEd, PhD is a senior lecturer at Curtin University in Western Australia. He researches in the areas of education policy, school reform and curriculum. Brad's research into school autonomy and the Independent Public Schools initiative has been published in international peer reviewed journals and edited books. He is co-editor of Powers of Curriculum: Sociological perspectives of education published by Oxford University Press.

Politics, education and researcher 'response-ability'

While the field of education is inherently political, recent direct and indirect political interventions highlight the expectation that educators must submit their professional knowledge and practice to the wills and logics of political agents and authorities. The Keynote discusses controversies, including reactions to the Safe Schools program, to illuminate the current politicisation of school education. Raising questions about what and who should influence education, its purpose and organisation, the paper argues that researchers have a 'response-ability' to examine and respond to the politics of education and education research.