Critical pedagogy workshop: Who owns the standards of the discipline?

A workshop exploring how disciplinary methods, standards and norms can be democratically owned and accessible to all social demographics; regardless of class, gender, racial/ethnic background or age.

The organiser and speakers work in analytic philosophy and will be discussing philosophy’s methods, but participants from all disciplinary backgrounds are welcome and valued. We intend to explore how the standards we impose on students might alienate and exclude different people of backgrounds, perspectives, thereby serving to strengthen the grip of particular social demographics on the discipline. But we also ultimately intend to explore what the essence of a discipline is, and who or what gets to define its essence.

Student/graduate voices are particularly welcome.

Talks will cover:

• Working class students’ experience in the classroom
• ‘Academic tone’ as emotional tone-policing
• Feminist perspectives on the point of critical argumentation
• When is gatekeeping in a discipline legitimate?

A roundtable discussion at the end will explore how the ideas raised carry lessons for assessing students fairly and ensuring that disciplines can be self-scrutinising.

Speakers:

• Andrew Kirton (Leeds) – organiser
• Leonie Smith (Lancaster)
• Aisling Crean (St. Andrews)
• Annie-Marie McCallion (Manchester Metropolitan)
• Lucija Duda (Manchester)

Email Andrew Kirton ([email protected]) if you'd like to attend, stating:

• Any dietary preferences/needs for the provided lunch.
• Whether you'd like to attend the post-workshop dinner later (paying your own way)