Reflexivity and Critical Pedagogy highlights the essential nature of reflexivity in creating sites for transformative possibilities in education. The book argues that seemingly intractable epistemological inequalities are embedded within educational structures and processes and also contends that perspectives which define knowledge as a unitary truth are essentially inadequate to address current global problems. Further, it argues that people and ideas traditionally positioned outside the academy are vital to developing more effective educational interventions.
This volume stresses the influence of dominant societal discourses in creating and sustaining particular and limited definitions of knowledge. It also explores their power in delineating acceptable processes of knowledge dissemination. These discourses, whether consciously or otherwise, indwell teachers, learners and policy-makers as well as educational structures and organisations. It proposes reflexivity as the key component needed to combat such forces and one that is an essential ingredient in critical pedagogy.
Anne Ryan, PhD (1992), Flinders University, South Australia, is Professor of Adult and Community Education, Maynooth University, Ireland. Her publications relating to critical pedagogy include 'Conscientization: The Art of Learning' in
Pedagogy, Oppression and Transformation in a ‘Post-Critical’ Climate (Continuum, 2011).
Tony Walsh, DEd (2013), University of Bristol (UK), is Director of the Centre for the Study of Irish Protestantism and Co-director of the Centre for Transformative Narrative Research, Maynooth University. His publications include
Writing Your Thesis: A Guide for Postgraduate Students (MACE, 2015).
Foreword Peter Mayo List of Figures and Tables Notes on Contributors
1
Reflexivity and Critical Pedagogy Anne Ryan and Tony Walsh 2
Discourse: Some Considerations for the Reflexive Practitioner Anne B. Ryan 3
Reflexivity and the Emotional Dimension of Adult Learning David McCormack 4
Seeing the Wood and the Trees: Expanding the Reflexive Gaze Tony Walsh 5
Reflexive Practice and Transformative Learning Anne Ryan and Conor Murphy 6
Reflexivity and the Pedagogy of Surprise Peter Hussey 7
Reflexive Learning for Active Citizenship Michael Murray 8
Negative Capability and Epiphany Moments in Reflexive Practive David McCormack 9
Stories, Reflexivity and the Search for Meaning Mary B. Ryan
All educators, especially radical adult educators, who are interested in better understanding the role of reflexivity in revealing the complex forces that define the contexts for knowledge creation and dissemination.