Stuart Hall and Education: Being Critical of Critical Pedagogy

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the impact of the theoretical contribution of Stuart Hall on education. It begins by outlining the importance of understanding the social construction of processes of domination and subordination, and the significance of working together with the macro-sociological and micro-sociological forces which impact on people’s lives and construct relations of dominance and sub-ordinance. In pursuing the social constructions of power relations in societies, this chapter also indicates the non-essentialism and non-reductionism that is central to Hall’s conception of social reality. The second part of this chapter looks at the notion of relationality which is key to understanding the ways in which social relations are configured. In looking at relationality, this chapter also focuses on the intersections between different forms of identities and shows how they intersect with each other and construct complex forms of human identities and experiences. The importance of non-reductionist thinking is also highlighted in this regard. In the final section of this chapter, focus is placed on Hall’s later theory of articulation which brings together both the conceptions of social construction and relationality in understanding social phenomena. In this regard, the theory of articulation is also shown to be of tremendous value on ontological, methodological and epistemological levels. Of particular importance throughout this chapter is the generative and useful ways in which Hall’s views are significant to teaching and learning.