Attending to agonism and the political in democratic education. Deliberation by contrast

8 important questions on Attending to agonism and the political in democratic education. Deliberation by contrast

Parker suggested that purposeful classroom discussions may help students develop what Allens called a citizenship of "political friendship", what is political friendship?

An example of a deliberative model for democratic education.
Aristotle > Allen: Students need not to develop emotional affinity towards each other.
Being "political friends" requires students to respect one another as equals in order to obtain "rational consensus" (Habermas) through deliberation.

What does Parker propose? What is the ultimate goal?

That classroom seminars and deliberations can function as miniature versions of democratic deliberations, where students are given opportunities to speak and listen to strangers with reciprocity, humility and caution.

The ultimate goal is to help students develop a better sense of "others" so that there might be a greater degree of equity or commonality among them.

Lo says this deliberative model of Parker has aspects of a Rawlsian process, how?

Creating an overlapping consensus among reasonable and rational, but incompatible, comprehensive doctrines behind a veil Students are asked to view each other as reasonable and rational beings, whose opinions and views deserve to be heard.

Students must all learn to communicate in a reasonable and logical manner > communicative rationality and reason are preconditions to ensure the rationality of arguments in deliberative discourses (Habermas)
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What is the negative side of the rational deliberative process?

It may suppress antagonistic feelings that give rise to the original conflict and leave students feeling demoralized or disenfranchised.
Students may feel like strangers are only willing to listen and talk about the issues that are rational, rather than to listen to and validate their feelings on difficult issues that are incommensurable with societal norms.

What is Lo's problem with conciliary processes of the political?

Although they help students learn to create a stable and rational democratic atmosphere through deliberation...

They often overlook strong emotive structures that may be at the root of conflicts, and which may be detrimental to eventual political engagement.

What is the consequence when marginalized groups do not feel like they have a seat at the Habermasian table, even when invited to the conversation?

They may perceive the structure to be oppressive or unsympathetic to their views. Worse, feelings of disempowerment may be entrenched further by a deliberaitve framework that hopes to leave students with a "feel good" or "everyone is a winner" perception.

What may the push towards consensus building or rational compromise do?

It may circumvent the very power structures that students should confront or challenge.

Practicing and learning to deliberate (talking and listening to strangers) in the classroom can help students to learn, what?

Become more rational and reasonable.

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