Education for Societal Transformation: Alternatives for a Just Future (Panel 1)

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

This panel symposium of five papers from disparate geographies and populations stems from a NORRAG Special Issue that engages the need for alternatives in education to address a global polycrisis. These holistic alternatives and “non-reformist” reforms challenge hegemonic ideas perpetuated by neoliberal capitalism, militarism, patriarchy, racism, and other oppressive structures, and advocate for systemic changes in education that promote holistic and social justice. Margaret Thatcher’s TINA – There is No Alternative to (neoliberal) capitalism – was wrong from the beginning. David Bollier’s TAPAS – There are Plenty of Alternatives – is clearly more accurate. But what really constitutes education and societal “alternatives?” Andre Gorz (1967) coined the term “nonreformist reforms” to refer to reforms that go beyond palliative “reformist” measures that don’t challenge oppressive structures. This stance immediately leads to asking “what alternatives really challenge fundamental structures and ideologies?”
This question has no easy answer, but this panel offers five papers that present alternatives across myriad geographies and populations. When operating within the dominant political and economic paradigms, reforms are easy, yet they almost always reproduce dominant Global North perspectives. One can simply define objectives, do an impact assessment or cost-benefit analysis, and select the best choice. However, challenging capitalism, patriarchy, racism – or their educational manifestations – has no single answer without participatory dialogue. Entrenched interests co-opt reforms. Current structures and institutions resist change. Nevertheless, this panel presents alternatives, creates opportunities for dialogue, and fosters hope at a critical time in history.
Scholarly significance
Members of the panel and contributors to the Special issue believe that education can change society. The alternatives in this panel help point the way, although they represent merely a fraction of all the attempts at transformative education alternatives found in many communities worldwide. Our theory of change for this urgent transformation is that education serves as part of a cross-sector, cross-issue, cross-national mobilization towards societal transformation, needed urgently given the impending climate catastrophe. We cannot postpone this transformation to the next generation!
Session structure
The symposium consists of five papers from diverse geographies introduced by a chair, who will discuss the broader endeavor. To include as many papers from the Special Issue as possible, we aim to hear from the authors and create a dialogue with the audience in addition to having a discussant.

Sub Unit

• 21st Century Educational Alternatives: Confronting Racial Capitalism, Patriarchy, Militarism, and the Climate Crisis

Chair

• Frank Adamson, California State University, Sacramento

Individual Presentations

• Not TINA but TAPAS! - Steven Klees, University of Maryland

• Revalorising critical pedagogies from rural Peru: four teachers’ stories of social justice in education - Silvia Espinal-Meza, University of Bristol, UK

• Placing epistemic justice at the core of educational transformations for just futures - Maria Balarin, GRADE

• Beyond Climate Apartheid and Ecocide: Towards a Critical Climate Justice - Rezan Benatar, Independent Scholar

• Creating Regenerative, Equitable Education Systems: Key Questions and Policy Options - Frank Adamson, California State University, Sacramento; Michael Gibbons, American University

Discussants

• Michael Gibbons, American University

• Steven Klees, University of Maryland

• Rezan Benatar, Independent Scholar

• Silvia Espinal-Meza, University of Bristol, UK

• Maria Balarin, GRADE