ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a socially critical perspective on co-operative education, reporting on a sub-set of data from a study undertaken in the Canadian context that was framed with a conceptual lens developed from Jrgen Habermas' critical theory. Co-op programmes are seen to improve the economic contribution of higher education by developing human capital and promoting efficient linkages between curricula and labour markets that are no doubt important for actors in and around higher education. Some commentators have noted weaknesses with respect to how universities foster human capital, and co-op is seen to be one solution. People learn to coordinate their social action in non-violent ways by interacting with a sense of reciprocity. Habermas called this process cultural rationalization. People also learn to participate in the politico-administrative-economic institutions needed to organise and sustain collective life. He called this process social modernization. Communicative action exists to foster understanding and the purpose of strategic action is to pursue and attain goals.
