Thinking With Hannah Arendt on the Culture of Instrumentality in Education

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

In last year’s CICCS SIG business meeting, members were asked to brainstorm ideas and areas of inquiry that reflect two concerns: How does our SIG work at the intersection of culture and curriculum? What is “critical” about our scholarship? This symposium extends this initial inquiry by critiquing and/or working against a culture of instrumentality in education through the lens of Hannah Arendt’s political theory. This symposium is directed to the ways that Arendt’s anti-instrumental curriculum – what might also be called a curriculum of thoughtfulness, meaningfulness, and freedom – provides important insights into understanding and resisting a pervasive means-end curriculum of control. Four author-presenters and a discussant will engage this subject from various contexts (US-UK-Canada) and/or by using different methodologies.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Critical Issues in Curriculum and Cultural Studies

Chair

• Jo-Anne Margaret Dillabough, The University of British Columbia

Papers

• Tyler's Rationale and the Meaninglessness of Utility - Hannah Marie Spector, Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg

• "Against Knowledge": Are We Enjoying Ourselves Yet? - Anne Mary Phelan, The University of British Columbia

• Thinking, Judgment, and Responsibility: Educators Respond to Hannah Arendt's Political Theory - Kathleen B Jones, San Diego State University

• The Question of Curriculum as Subject in Dark Times: Hannah Arendt and W. G. Sebald - Teresa Jean Strong-Wilson, McGill University

Discussant

• Rm Kennedy, York University