Epistemic Resilience in the Age of Misinformation: Reframing Critical Thinking Pedagogy through Foucault’s Skepticism

• In Event: Educational Approaches to Social Cohesion: Pedagogy, Governance, and Resilience

Proposal

1. Relevance
This paper engages directly with the 2026 Comparative and International Education Annual Meeting Conference theme by examining how education can respond to the accelerating challenges of misinformation, social fragmentation, and technologically mediated knowledge flows. Across the globe, the world, societies face an increasingly unstable informational environment in which authority structures are questioned and traditional pedagogies of knowledge transmission struggle to remain relevant. Educational systems were largely designed for earlier media ecologies dominated by print and institutionally curated sources, yet today’s learners encounter an unending flow of user-generated content, algorithmically curated news, and artificially generated text.

In this environment, teaching “facts” alone no longer suffices. What is required is an epistemic resilience that equips learners to recognize, interrogate, and navigate unstable and contested terrains of truth. This study addresses that problem by integrating Michel Foucault’s power and knowledge framework and skeptical stance into critical thinking pedagogy. This study situates itself within comparative and international education by examining how critical thinking is conceptualized and taught across different national contexts, with particular attention to Japan’s evolving educational policy landscape and its global applicability.

2. Theory and Context
Critical thinking as an educational goal has deep intellectual roots. John Dewey emphasized it as a reflective and problem-solving method grounded in evidence, creativity, and sound judgment, essential both for scientific inquiry and democratic citizenship. In contemporary education, critical thinking is often treated as a set of logical or fact-checking skills, a cognitive toolkit presumed to operate independently of context.
This project challenges that presumption by drawing on Michel Foucault’s skepticism toward universal claims of truth. For Foucault, knowledge is not neutral but is produced within historical, institutional, and political structures that authorize certain claims as truth while excluding others. A critical pedagogy informed by this perspective does not merely teach learners how to check the accuracy of claims. Instead, it teaches them to analyze the conditions under which truth claims are produced, circulated, and legitimized.

The theoretical framework thus integrates three strands: the Deweyan tradition of critical reflection, the Foucauldian emphasis on power and discourse, and contemporary sociological insights on technology and polarization. It situates critical thinking not as an abstract skill but as a socially embedded capacity. In doing so, the project positions itself within the wider field of comparative and international education, which has long examined how global forces, local practices, and national policies shape educational outcomes. The Japanese case provides an illustrative context: the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has identified critical thinking as a core competency for the twenty-first century, yet has been criticized for offering limited guidance on pedagogical methods or evaluation. By addressing this gap, the study contributes to global debates on how critical thinking can be taught in meaningful, culturally grounded, and technologically relevant ways.

3. Mode of Inquiry
The research adopts a mixed-methods design in order to combine theoretical insight with empirical validation. The following questions serve to guide this research：

How can an integrated pedagogical model grounded in Foucault’s skepticism enhance students’ critical thinking in contexts shaped by misinformation and polarization?

The inquiry follows a three-phase mixed-methods design.

a. Curriculum design: Teaching modules are created to incorporate misinformation scenarios, algorithmic bubble simulations, and structured cross-perspective dialogues. These modules emphasize discourse mapping, enabling students to visualize networks of claims, actors, and institutions.

b. Pilot implementation and data collection: Modules are tested with Japanese university students. Data include pre- and post-tests of critical thinking, focus group interviews, classroom observation, and digital interaction logs.

c. Analysis and scaling: Quantitative data measure gains in reasoning and resilience, while qualitative data explore students’ interpretations of power, authority, and discourse. Findings inform scaling strategies for broader use.
This design allows both rigorous measurement and nuanced analysis, bridging theoretical insights with pedagogical practice.

4. Findings
Preliminary findings suggest that traditional fact-checking models alone are insufficient for fostering durable epistemic resilience. Students may learn to verify specific claims, but without a deeper understanding of discursive structures, they remain vulnerable to persuasive misinformation framed within familiar ideological narratives.

The new pedagogical modules demonstrate three promising outcomes. First, discourse mapping allows students to visualize how knowledge is constructed and contested, making them more attuned to institutional and cultural dimensions of truth claims. Second, simulated algorithmic bubbles reveal to students the extent to which their information environment is curated and partial, leading to greater recognition of echo chambers and filter effects. Third, structured cross-perspective engagements reduce social fragmentation by encouraging students to critically yet respectfully analyze opposing viewpoints.

Together, these findings suggest that critical thinking can be reconceptualized not as an isolated cognitive skill but as a situated practice. Students who engage with these modules demonstrate greater ability to interrogate not only the accuracy of information but also its provenance, power dynamics, and social effects.

5. Scholarly Contribution
The scholarly contribution of this study lies in the following three areas.

First, it advances the theoretical field by integrating Foucault’s skepticism into critical thinking pedagogy. This provides a framework for analyzing truth not as static but as constructed and contested, thereby enriching debates in comparative and international education.

Second, it contributes methodologically by designing and testing innovative pedagogical interventions that combine discourse analysis, technological simulation, and cross-cultural adaptation. The mixed-methods approach bridges abstract theory and practical application, offering a replicable model for future studies.

Third, it offers global and policy-relevant insights. Japan’s sociotechnical context—high internet penetration, strong educational infrastructure, and increasing exposure to global misinformation—serves as an ideal testing ground. Yet the lessons extend internationally. The project shows how education systems worldwide can address polarization and information disorder while fostering inclusive, democratic participation.

In conclusion, the research responds to urgent global challenges by reimagining critical thinking education for the digital age. By foregrounding skepticism, discourse, and power relations, it equips learners with epistemic resilience. By grounding theory in empirical practice, it provides a scalable and adaptable model for international education systems.

Authors

• Jie Qi, Utsunomiya University

• Shengping Zhang

• Jiyoung Seo-Cense, Sonata Japanese