Toward a Philosophy of STEAM in the Anthropocene

Abstract

This paper proposes a philosophy of STEAM education in the current moment, the Anthropocene. Whereas many proponents of STEAM focus on outcomes related to cultivating a more creative and competitive generation of STEM workers, it is, more importantly, an approach to education that can foster spaces for transdisciplinary conversations surrounding critical issues of the Anthropocene – those of ethics, sustainability, and relationality. Thus, the question arises, How might we understand/practice STEAM education differently? This philosophy of STEAM in the Anthropocene is inspired by the guiding notions of Braidotti’s affirmative ethics as well as Stengers and Ulmer’s conceptions of slow(ing). These perspectives challenge the ideologies and practices that have created and sustained divisions between the arts and sciences, while also promoting different ways of engaging in/with the world. Entangled in this conceptual framework are three concepts that might guide STEAM education moving forward: transdisciplinarity, relationality, and responsibility. With these notions as inspiration, this paper asserts a philosophical vision that takes seriously the realities of our Anthropocenic present and considers how educators might move with, rather than push against, the challenges that continue to present themselves.