Informal education as socio-cultural mediation space in context of revitalization area
Author(s):
Elzbieta Okroy (presenting / submitting) Ewa Okroy (presenting) Agnieszka Narloch
Conference:
ECER 2011
Format:
Paper

Session Information

ERG SES H 03, Parallel Session H 03

Paper Session

Time:
2011-09-13
14:00-15:30
Room:
J 30/109,G, 27
Chair:
Meinert Arnd Meyer

Contribution

    In ours research project we are examining various forms of cultural and social animation of young people growing up in socio-economically disadvantaged communities on example on The Lower Town of Gdansk. In the paper we will show some results of ours research project and reflect on backgroung of creating some alternative education programmes: who speaks, to whom, why, who gives whom the right to speak? Assuming that improving the quality of life, on the other hand, not only concerns aesthetic and economic development, but also mental change of inhabitants, we will present an empirical study exploring the questions about tensions between local society, social and cultural organizations and investor’s interests in revitalization area, conflicting realities and intentions of different agents of change. In this paper we will try to reconstruct the ideas of socio-cultural work in this area from the time of critical artists actions that chose desolate and demolished places for their activity in nineties till present-day city politics supported transformation of the Lower Town throught cooperating in the field of revitalization. We will rather be reconstructing intensions, programme guidelines and methodology, approaches and strategies of some organizations and institutions than analysing particular projects. The study focuses on some structural changes detected at the district caused by the expansion of informal education movement. It seem to have a significance for the understanding of the educational issue within a few years the number of alternative educators has grown rapidly in the district as the same time as attention of property developers. In that case the main research question is: what kind of societal agencies can provide skills necessary to overcoming exclusion and participate in civic society in variable conditions of life?

          The main theoretical framework for the analysis are discourse theory, critical pedagogy of space, post-colonial theory, cultural and social capital studies. Ours research derives of theories of  informal and civic education, hidden curriculum and wider discussion of citizenship as a concept.

Method

The main research method is qualitative. It is based on phenomenology approach and case studies as a starting point in analysing discursive formations. In our research we are using phenomenographic interview with educators as the source of primary empirical data and as the basis for the first level interpretation (11.2010-03.2011). Case studies analysis brings deph investigation of a single examples of activities of the educational field (11.2010-03.2011). The reaserch involves as well participant observation of the life in the Lower Town of Gdansk (01.05.2010-30.11.2010). These components complement one another and provide to discourse analysis. It locates dates to structures of the sociopolitical context.

Expected Outcomes

This paper seeks to sketch and to influence that coming paradigm on the field of socio-cultural revitalization. Anticipated outcomes will be twofold. Firstly the theoretical explication of particular forms of cultural and social animations of young people growing up in socio-economically disadvantaged communities by identify relations between activities, their assumptions and changing local cultural policy and economical context. Secondly, it allows recognise strong and weak points of various kinds activities, chances and threats of intervention of socio-cultural agenties in socially neglected districts. That all will be leading answer a question: how to conduct cultural mediations avoiding colonizing practice?

References

Ball S. J. (ed.), (2004). Foucault i edukacja. Dyscypliny i wiedza [Foucault and education. Disciplines and knowledge]. Krakow: Oficyna Wydawnicza Impuls. Cackowska, M., (ed.) (2009). Laznia. Sztuka w projektach zmiany społecznej [Laznia – The Bathouse Art. In Social Change Projects] Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej Laznia. Deleuze G., (2007). Negocjacje [Pourparlers]. Wydawnictwo Naukowe DSWE. Drewe P., Klein J-L., Hulsbergen E. (ed.), (2008), The Challenge of Social Innovation in Urban Revitalization, Softbound. David A. Gruenewald, Smith, D.A. (2008). Place-based education in the global age: local diversity. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Kopeć M., (2010). Rewitalizacja miejskich obszarów zdegradowanych. C.H. Beck.Mendel M., (ed.), (2006). Pedagogika miejsca [The pedagogy of place]. Wydawnictwo Naukowe DSWE. Ranciere J., (2007). Dzielenie postrzegalnego: estetyka i polityka [The Politics of Aesthetics: The Distribution of the Sensible]. Korporacja Ha!art.

Author Information

Elzbieta Okroy (presenting / submitting)
University of Gdansk
Faculty of Social Sciences
Gdansk
Ewa Okroy (presenting)
University of Gdansk
Faculty of Social Sciences
Gdansk
Jagiellonian University in Crakow, Poland

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