Hopeful Pedagogies in Higher Education

Hopeful Pedagogies in Higher Education argues that critical pedagogy can be rescued from its pessimism and offers hopeful avenues for new theory and practice. It argues that present actions should be celebrated and cultivated as symbols of hope, possibility, and generativity for the future, and that a positive utopianism is possible.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 29 December 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Critical pedagogy, particularly in its attempts to be implemented within higher education (HE), often exudes a profound skepticism regarding the possibility of challenging the ever-expanding dominance of neo-liberalism, neo-conservatism, and new managerialism within universities. Numerous accounts of critical pedagogy convey a sense of disillusionment, suggesting that it is an uphill battle to counteract these forces.

Hopeful Pedagogies in Higher Education, while acknowledging some of these criticisms, endeavors to revitalize critical pedagogy by offering alternative interpretations and proposing hopeful avenues for new theory and practice. These misinterpretations are often rooted in the present, where the assumption is made that unless significant change occurs within the lifespan of a project, it is deemed a failure. However, this book argues for a different perspective: that a positive utopianism is indeed attainable. The present actions should be celebrated and nurtured as symbols of hope, possibility, and generativity for the future, as implied by the concept of hope.

The contributors to this book make a compelling case for recognizing and valuing the pedagogies of HE that operate in liminal spaces—those situated between the present and the future, between the world as it is and the world as it could be. They also highlight the emerging cracks in the dominant discourses, which present opportunities for alternative perspectives and practices to emerge. By embracing these liminal spaces and recognizing the potential for change within the cracks, critical pedagogy can be revitalized and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape.

Weight: 482g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350216792