Counterhegemonic pedagogies : educators’ reflections on social vision, subjectivity, resistance and practice

This study identified and pursued some recurring issues and questions in recent journal articles on socially transformative or counterhegemonic forms of pedagogy. The articles were written by critical educators whose pedagogies include feminist, postmodern, anti-racist and other socially transformative approaches to teaching practice. I pursued questions in dialogue with four prominent critical educators and authors through a review of their self-reflective writings on critical practice, followed by discussions with each about their theoretical frameworks and practices. The authors who participated in these discussions were Dr. Elizabeth Ellsworth, Dr. Magda Lewis, Dr. Roger Simon and Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum. My questions related to the social visions and theories of subjectivity that inform their pedagogies; and to student resistance and educators' transformative practices in the context of their classrooms. Our discussions emphasized many of the limits and possibilities of critical pedagogical practice and highlighted the importance of collective social visions that remain open, indeterminate and unfinished; as well as models for performing social positions differently for those in both dominant and subordinated positions. The absence of non-oppressive models was identified as a clear problem for addressing social reproduction in relation to race and gender. Discussions on subjectivity in the context of socially transformative projects underlined the importance of taking account of the difficulties involved in abandoning known and familiar positions and social relations, of appreciating the force of hegemonic meanings and of individual investment in existing relations of power. Important also is an appreciation of the blind-spots inherent in positions, and the need to deconstruct dominant positions in dialogue with subordinated ones. Educators described the ways they encounter, interpret and acknowledge student resistance and emotional reactions in classrooms. To address resistance, some educators again emphasized the importance of new and non-oppressive models for performing social identities as well as opportunities for students to practice such positions. All educators discussed the importance of community, shared vision and collaboration both within and beyond the classroom as a crucial support in undertaking counterhegemonic pedagogies.Education, Faculty ofEducational Studies (EDST), Department ofGraduat