Critical spirituality as a resource for fostering critical pedagogy

Year: 2004

Author: Milojevic, Ivana

Type of paper: Abstract refereed

Abstract:
Our present historical moment is marked by, on one hand, rising scepticism, questioning and secularism (due to modern science and postmodern philosophy) and, on the other, rise in religious fervour, fanaticism and dogma (as a response to the previous and also threats from globalisation and multiculturalism). Critical spirituality is a concept that aims to transcend these two poles, by incorporating both the rational and empirical with the somatic, the meditative (Bussey, 2000) and the devotional. This concept acknowledges the reality that humans are spiritual beings but asserts that wider knowledge and understanding of various spiritual traditions and their contemporary developments are crucial in our times. Implications of this concept for critical pedagogy are numerous. As Parker Palmer (1998) argues the spiritual is always present in all (including public) education, whether it is acknowledged or not. Thus critical spirituality approaches crucially correspond with the main aims of critical pedagogy fostering of critical thinking skills, questioning of the hegemonic discourses, development of critical consciousness, transformation of society (and self), and so on. My presentation will focus on discussing critical spirituality as fostered by Neo-Humanism, Buddhism and within New Age movement(s) and the implications of these understandings on the current educational theory and praxis.

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