This study examines the connections between a commitment to educating for
citizenship in the university and pedagogical strategies used to realize the goals
associated with this commitment. One of the most common themes of the political
philosophy and education literature regarding citizenship has to do with communicating
across our differences. I used Jodi Dean's (1996) concept of reflective solidarity to
explore the possibilities of this communication, particularly in the face of claims to
morality. Reflective solidarity focuses on the communicative nature of solidarity by
exploring contestation across our differences as we work toward understanding.
I interviewed ten educators from a variety of disciplines at the University of
British Columbia to explore their experiences translating this commitment to social
justice into practice. My analysis of their contributions resulted in three primary
categories and numerous sub-categories of data that I referred to as (a) perspective on
theory (the university as a site for citizenship education, defining educating for
citizenship); (b) perspective on self (curriculum as contested space, teacher's role, selfreflective
practice, solidarity through difference); and (c) perspective on other (voice,
silence, listening, pluralism, safety and risk, power).
All of the participants discussed the dynamics of power, voice, silence, risk,
pluralism and resistance that characterize their efforts to educate in a manner that
promotes social justice. The pedagogical challenge of responding to heterosexism and
homophobia in the classroom was specifically identified as difficult and increasingly
contentious. This theme became central as I wove together the literature, the participants'
contributions and my own experiences.
As a response to Dean's inattention to the context of the communicative
relationships at the core of reflective solidarity, I propose the idea of reflective
accountability. Reflective accountability challenges critical educators to think deeply
about the sometimes taken-for-granted aspects of educating for social justice. Reflective
accountability necessitates a critique of open public discourse and understanding as the
unassailable cornerstone of education and highlights the possibility that there may be
times when certain points of view need to be more critically examined, challenged and
perhaps silenced when they are grounded in oppression.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/14920 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Dow, Martha Christine |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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