Session Information
13 SES 06 B, Parallel Paper Session
Parallel Paper Session
Contribution
This paper explores the close link between democracy and education and argues that this link needs to be reinvigorated.
Within democratic welfare societies, education is a fundamental civil, political and social right for all. And its central task is to promote active citizenship. However, parallel with increasing economic, political, social and educational inequalities, new and ugly processes of marginalization emerge. One example is how the “lost generation” of European youths now experience poverty, hopelessness, and distrust in nearly all major institutions. Another example is how everyday racism and xenophobia undermine civic participation and engagement for all. But is it possible to prevent marginalization? And in what ways should we educate for democratic participation?
In the first part of this paper I portray some distinct characteristics of the new era and identify some processes of marginalization now playing out within and beyond educational institutions. In the next part I explore the concepts of “democracy” and “education”, and their mutual interdependence. Drawing on the work of John Dewey, democracy is here seen as a way of life, an ideal and an outlook.
In the third part of the paper, however, I contrast Dewey’s harmonious image with the current situation while asking: In what ways should we rethink democracy and education for the new era? I here draw on Chantal Mouffe’s model of agonistic democracy and Alain Badiou’s ethics to systematically examine the potential possibilities of rethinking and strengthening the link between democracy and education. In summing up, I point to some challenges meeting educational researchers today.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Badiou, A. (2009a). Thinking the Event. I: Badiou, A. & Zizek, S. (2009). Philosophy of the Present (s. 1 – 48). Cambridge: Polity Press Badiou, A. (2009b). Logics of Worlds. London & New York: Continuum Badiou, A. (2005). Metapolitics. London & New York: Verso Badiou, A. (2008). Ethics. London: Verso Dewey, J. (1985/1916). Democracy and Education. Carbondal & Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press Honneth, A. (1998). Democracy as Reflexive Cooperation. Political Theory, 26 (6), 763 – 783. Mouffe, C. (2000). The Democratic Paradox. London & New York: Verso
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