Pedagogy of the Encounter: The Learner Is Present

• In Event: 60.021 - Doing Less With Less? Learning and Austerity

Abstract

“Something in this world forces us to think” writes Deleuze (1994). “This something is an object not of recognition but of a fundamental encounter” (p. 139). This paper expands upon Friedrich’s (2011) educational use of Deleuzian encounters, what he calls Pedagogy of the Encounter, to challenge neoliberal or rationalistic practices in education. Grounded in post-structural theory, Pedagogy of the Encounter suggests an alternative to such outcome-based education models. Learning and thought are here conceived as sensed, bodily experiences. The paper tracks dominant trends in educational discourse and presents Pedagogy of the Encounter as an educational event “where difference is a real possibility” (Friedrich, 2011, p. 177)

Author

• Jordan Corson, Teachers College, Columbia University