Critical Pedagogy, Critical Theory and Psychoanalysis: Exploring the 'Intersubjective' in Education

Author(s):

Mark MurphyTony Brown

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

13. Philosophy of Education - Standard submissions

Format:

Paper

Session Information

13 SES 02 A, Subjectivity and Intersubjectivity in Education

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-28

11:15-12:45

Room:

HG, HS 41

Chair:

James Charles Conroy

Contribution

The concept of intersubjectivity has a long history in both continental and North American philosophy, finding itself explicitly or implicitly at the heart of theories devised by the likes of Hegel, Husserl, Buber and Mead. The shift away from the subject-object, monadic psyche paradigm of the philosophy of consciousness has found a home in the socio-theoretical endeavours of critical theorists such as Jürgen Habermas and Axel Honneth. Such thinkers have based their conceptual apparatus on a switch to a philosophy of language and/or recognition, and have built up normative groundings upon which to build distinctive versions of critical theory, ones that connect everyday human concerns about identity and respect to broader struggles over exclusion. The current paper argues that the paradigm of intersubectivity, whether manifested in theories of recognition, or other forms of thought such as ‘dialogical’ or ‘relational’ theories, has important applications to current issues facing education. The shift to an intersubjective frame of reference may offer a strong challenge to the prevailing pedagogical model, particularly given its reliance on a philosophy of consciousness. A theory of recognition of the type Honneth proposes, could potentially allow for a shift away from current concerns over the significance or otherwise of teaching vis-à-vis individual learners (incorporating concerns over a shift to facilitative approaches to pedagogy), to an approach that sidelines the teacher-learner paradigm in favour of an intersubjective paradigm.

Method

The theoretical/methodological focus of the current paper is on the critical theory of Axel Honneth. The more recent work of Honneth has revolved primarily around his theory of recognition, and how it situates itself in comparison to other theorists such as Charles Taylor and Nancy Fraser. Recognition theorists argue that the drive towards personal autonomy can only be achieved intersubjectively – through the process of recognition from significant others. Alongside the thought of Hegel and the social psychology of Mead, psychoanalytic theory occupies a central place in Honneth’s theory of intersubjective recognition. In particular, the work of Donald Winnicott and his object-relations theory, provides a crucial building block for Honneth’s switch to an emphasis on the intersubjective, a switch that offers justification for his belief that recognition theory represents a paradigmatic shift.

Expected Outcomes

A shift to an intersubjective paradigm offers an alternative to the current long-standing focus on concepts like learning styles and motivational typologies. A shift to a recognition approach may allow not only for the emergence of a new set of ideas and ‘techniques’ in teaching/learning, but also contribute further to our understanding of how forms of relation, recognition and interaction in education are shaped by broader relations of power. A critical pedagogy framed by an intersubjective paradigm, and underpinned by central tenets of critical theory and psychoanalysis, could offer a way of overcoming the ‘hidden injuries’ of recognition.

References

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Author Information

Mark Murphy

University of Chester

Faculty of Education and Children's Services

Chester

Tony Brown

UK Higher Education Academy

Education Subject Centre (ESCalate)

Bristol

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