Assuming that education should be emancipatory rather than dogmatic and dictatorial, below I present a case for why rebelling against yourself and the status quo is pedagogically valuable to both students and the teaching profession. What I say by the way of providing context may seem oversimplified and perhaps even radical in tone. Such is the nature of blogging. Alas, here we go… [deep breath]…
The predominant global politico-economic system, by virtue of being increasing neoliberal and for the most part still dominated by Western economic interests, is perpetuating a homogenisation— and thus narrowing the range— of socially and politically acceptable aesthetics, ethics, worldviews, and ontologies. The consequent contraction of the global episteme is, in turn, restricting the social imaginary— restricting what we imagine our lives will or should entail; restricting what is and isn’t possible. Western neo-colonial “ways of seeing, being and doing” constitute “the yardstick for the measurement of all humanity” (Andreotti, 2007: 6). Those who live on the fringes of society, those who do not conform, the marginalised and unseen, are ever more disenfranchised, increasingly devoid of purpose and self-determination. At the same time, the development of new and cheaper modes of transport and telecommunications and high levels of migration have meant that a diversity of cultures are increasingly coming into contact and intermingling, whether by choice or obligation, both in person and online. Doom scrolling and same/next day deliveries are compounding a smog of impatience— ever more rampant is the need for instant gratification among populations of screen addicts and materialists. In response to and as a result of such trends, the corporate media and politicians alike continue to polemicize and dichotomize highly nuanced themes and events via oversimplified sound-bites, tweets, and manifesto slogans. It is, therefore, no surprise that we are witnessing increasing levels of xenophobia and a more general intolerance towards difference all together. Propositions, ideologies, hobbies, habits, tastes and feelings— they are either true or false, heavenly or repugnant, and there is little room for much in between. Very few modes of being and thinking are considered valid, let alone tolerable, if they exist outside of the status quo. Thus, intolerance has become the modus operandi of the contemporary Western discourse. In the words of Achille Mbembe (2019: 42), we live in a global “society of enmity” wherein so many people define themselves via negativa and have very little patience for the Other.
It is plain to see, then, that the Arts and Humanities— those subjects concerned with cultivating subjectivity, creativity, self-worth, empathy, tolerance, criticality, reflexivity, self-determination etcetera— are invaluable to addressing these iniquitous global developments. Yet, now more than ever are these subjects having to fight to stay relevant in today’s neoliberal night terror. The neoliberal colonial hegemony has inspired a shift in the popularly held opinion regarding the value of education: now as being of use almost solely as a means to increase personal and domestic capital. It would be easy in such an atmosphere for teachers to internalize their purported socioeconomic irrelevance, to no longer tend to their noble vocation but to work a menial job; to passively accept the social amnesia regarding the ultimate value of teaching and learning— as processes aimed towards moral and academic edification and conscientisation. I say all this to highlight not only what teachers should ideally be aiming at, but to underline what they should seek to avoid, if we are in any way to address the above.
It is clear that educators ought to positively engage with issues and themes surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. We should seek to open up our own, our colleagues’ and our students’ minds to new and different ways of being and thinking, rather than proscribing epistemological and ontological diversity; rather than according with the colonial playbook. Only by embracing diversity, by subverting the status quo, can teachers really address the aforementioned shift towards local and global cultural homogenisation and intolerance towards anything otherwise. Only by engaging in challenging dialogue and self-reflection can teachers begin to understand how they themselves have been shaped and limited by the Western colonial imaginary. Only by exposing their students to other ways of being and seeing, by challenging them to think and imagine beyond the “abyssal line” (Santos, 2018), beyond the colonial matrix, can teachers really enable their students to become truly self-determining moral agents.
Though, such an emancipatory pedagogy is easier preached than practiced, of course. Indeed, this will likely be rather daunting, if it requires the practical subversion of the status quo on the part of educators. It increases our vulnerability. Failing to accord with the status quo can be socially isolating, and young people are particularly attuned to what and who is cool or lame. Albeit, we must be brave enough to wear even our unpopular idiosyncrasies with pride if and when possible (when it is safe to do so, of course); to demonstrate that they and other alternative modes of being and thinking are valid. Conversely, we should avoid seeking to fit in. Teachers who assimilate their students risk degrading themselves and the profession. Better is it to be a teacher who wins the respect and adoration of their colleagues and students despite being different. Better is it to be a teacher who is both nonconformist and liked. For such teachers demonstrate that camaraderie, meaning, love and beauty can be found outside of the status quo. For their students watching— importantly, for the ostracised and lost— the impossible is suddenly made possible. Their teacher has validated and demonstrated the joy of being different. Furthermore, if we as teachers succeed at this— if we can wear our idiosyncracies and succeed in developing meaningful relationships with our colleagues and students— then patience, tolerance and respect will likely be fostered as a by-product. The more that teachers do this, the richer, more inclusive and accepting of difference our schools and local communities will likely become. With any luck, we might enable our students to ride out this megatsunami of intolerance and impatience that continues to engluf the world.
References
Andreotti, V. (2007) ‘The Contributions of Postcolonial Theory to Development Education’, Development Education Association Thinkpieces. Available at: https://www.worldcat.org/title/contributions-of-postcolonial-theory-to-development-education/oclc/912946068.
Mbembe, A. (2019) Necropolitics. Croydon: Duke University Press (Theory in forms).
Santos, B. de S. (2018) The End of the Cognitive Empire: The Coming of Age of Epistemologies of the South. Durham: Duke University Press.
Megapedagogy 
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