ABSTRACT
There is a great need for interrogating the politics of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning at a global level and for STEM literacies that include robust sociopolitical analysis. This article analyzes neoliberal underpinnings of STEM discourse on an online portal created for pedagogic use with primary and secondary students in Singapore. We find that the portal leverages student interests, self-discovery, and diverse identities to recruit them into (neoliberal) figured worlds of learning, work, and citizenship that narrowly imagine a disciplined society and workforce appealing to global capital. Excluded and rendered invisible are skills to address pressing global issues (e.g., inequality, poverty, or sustainability) or to understand the world, others, or power relations, except strategically as instrumental skills that support industries and economic growth. We conclude by offering a hopeful vision that builds on the diversity, hybridity, and cultural crossroads of Singapore, asserting that alternate speculative futures are possible, including for decolonized or desettled STEM perspectives.
