Contradictions in the implementation of ‘community’ practices within graduate school/humanities alliance fellowship

• In Event: Reimagining Professional Development of Critical Pedagogy and Humanizing Teaching & Learning in the Humanities

Proposal

Using the experience as a graduate student in the CUNY HA program, Dunne will draw out and explore the contradictions and tensions that arise through the utilization of ‘community’ practices within the fellowship experience. The notion of ‘communities of practice’ shows that learning is inextricable from a social context and that community is necessary for the process of meaning-making (Lave & Wegner 1991; Linehan & McCarthy 2001). However, with the rapid uptake of ‘community’ interventions as a way to alleviate some of the harm done in traditional graduate school experiences by way of elitism, white supremacy, ableism, and individualism- it is imperative to critically investigate the notion of community rather than just take it for granted toward building sustainable authentic learning communities.

References:
Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. New York, Cambridge University Press.
Lenning, O. T., & Ebbers, L. H. (1999). The powerful potential of learning communities: Improving education for the future, Vol. 16, No. 6. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report.
Linehan, C. & McCarthy, J. (2001). Reviewing the "community of practice" metaphor: An analysis of control relations in a primary school classroom. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 8(2), 129-147.

Author

• Angela Dunne, The Graduate Center, City University of New York