Abstract
The focus of this response to Arthur Galamba and Brian Matthews’s ‘Science education against the rise of fascist and authoritarian movements: towards the development of a Pedagogy for Democracy’ is to underpin a critical pedagogy that can be used as a counterbalancing force against repressive ideologies within science classrooms. Locating science education within the traditions of critical pedagogy allows us to interrogate some of the historical, theoretical, and practical contradictions that have challenged the field, and to consider science learning as part of a wider struggle for social justice in education. My analysis draws specifically on the intellectual ideas of Paulo Freire, whose work continues to influence issues of theoretical, political, and pedagogical importance. A leading social thinker in educational practice, Freire rejected the dominant hegemonic view that classroom discourse is a neutral and value-free process removed from the juncture of cultural, historical, social, and political contexts. Freire’s ideas offer several themes of relevance to this discussion, including his banking conception of education, dialog and conscientization, and teaching as a political activity. I attempt to show how these themes can be used to advance a more socially critical and democratic approach to science teaching.
Highlights
The rise of ultranationalist far-right movements and support of fascist-related ideologies in the Western world have spurred a veritable discursive explosion around the role of the education system in fostering civic virtues of tolerance and respect for all sections of society (Crick, 2019)
Evidence suggests that incidences of racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia continue to proliferate within the school experience of BAME students and are deeply embedded in the education system
The main goal of this paper is to make the argument for and explore, as part of the wider debate on social justice in science education, how critical pedagogy can be used as a counterpoising force against forms of discrimination within science classrooms
Summary
First articulated by Freire, is an interdisciplinary orientation inspired by ideologies that associate social theories to narratives of humanization. Its basic principles represent a range of radical ‘emancipatory’ educational ideas in which schools are seen as democratic spaces, producing learners who have developed critical agency and citizenry (Shor, 2019) Practitioners working in this tradition are committed to counter-hegemonic practices that challenge authoritarian ideologies while at the same time promoting equity and social justice in the classroom (Aronowitz, 2004). A Freirean classroom, as Giroux (2009) relates and Rodriquez (2008) elaborates, seeks to fill this dearth by providing an intellectual space in which students are given freedom to examine the complex interplay of the social, cultural, emotional, and intellectual dimensions underpinning scientific discursive practices In such a liberating classroom, students are engaged in an open narrative to interrogate the nature of science and, to question what counts as ‘normal science’, and the diverse and complex value systems that scientists bring to their work. Students develop critical science agency which helps them to “develop consciousness of freedom, recognize authoritarian tendencies, and connect knowledge to power and the ability to take constructive action” (Giroux, 2010, p. 336)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
