Writing letters by hand: Critical pedagogical inquiry through inner and outer worlds

Abstract

Drawing from their own practice of writing letters by hand, the authors, white women art education scholars committed to critical pedagogy, present letter writing by hand as a form of inquiry for engaging in critical reflective practice. Informed by work of anti-oppressive scholars including Gloria Anzaldúa, Paulo Freire, and bell hooks, critical reflective practice involves critical self-evaluation and revision of action around relations of power. The authors began this letter writing practice in response to pandemic conditions, as other research plans were disrupted. In this inquiry through handwritten letters, the authors engage in continuous passage through inner and outer worlds, demonstrating the dynamic interplay of individuals within movements toward social transformation.