Phenomenology in Pedagogical Settings. Overview of the current discourse on phenomenological pedagogy

Abstract

Phenomenology has been well-received in pedagogy from the very beginning. With direct reference to Husserl, Aloys Fischer calls for a Descriptive Pedagogy. Only on the basis of a close description of educational processes similar to the phenomenological reduction can the educational sciences rediscover their actual subject matter. In this article the author traces the development of phenomenological thought in educational theory with a special focus on the notions of corporeality and negativity. As a necessary condition of perception in general, corporeality constitutes an important factor in the structural being-to-the-world of the human being. Apart from being able to sense its surroundings the body can also be perceived as part of these surroundings. Due to this double role, the subject opens up to foreign influences and negativity. Thus, the other plays an important role in the constitution of the identity of the subject. Through corporeality, a sphere of intersubjectivity is opened up. A recapitulation of Käte Meyer-Drawe’s Pedagogy of Inter-Subjectivity and Wilfried Lippitz’ Theory of Bildung and Alterity shows how these thoughts can be made useful for pedagogical discussion. Hereby, sociality and alterity prove to be foundational categories for educational settings in general. Finally, the author gives an outlook on current developments in phenomenological pedagogy.