Critical-Geography-Forum-Online

Ian Cook, Department of Geography, University of Wales, Lampeter, Ceredigion Wales SA48 7ED (email: i.cook@lamp.ac.uk)

 
Introduction:
 
•  Paper addresses recent pedagogical debates in human geography:
 
- particularly Linda Mcdowell's (1994) discussion of "polyphony & pedagogy authority''.
 
• Through outlining one theoretical approach:
 
• the 'border pedagogy' advocated by, e.g., Henry Giroux, Peter McLaren, Mary Louise Pratt, bell hooks, etc.
• yet, very little of this work goes further than exploring 'border pedagogy' in theory.
 
• Through providing examples of student feedback for discussion today:
 
•  from a course entitled 'Histories & cultures of the transatlantic'
•  structured by 'border pedagogy'/ examined by journal.
•  final entry: 'how (did) border pedagogy work for you?'
 

Paper outline:

1) What's border pedagogy..?

2) What's a journal..?

3) How might this contribute to a 'critical geography'..?

4) Matters for discussion..?

5) Further reading..?
 

1) What's 'border pedagogy'..?
 

•  A large and growing theoretical literature based largely in North America (see further readings).

- Can be summarised in answers to three questions:

 
 a) what does 'traditional' education do?
 
• introduces students to dominant accounts of culture, society, economy, etc..
• encourages and rewards rote-learning.
• known as the 'banking system'.

b) why might this have to change?
 

• classrooms are becoming home to more diverse student bodies.
• classrooms therefore contain a greater diversity of situated knowledges regarding cultures, societies, economies, etc..

if students' situated knowledges do not match the dominant knowledge, their chances for academic success are reduced under the 'banking system'.
 
c) what's the alternative?
 
• undermine teachers' positions as 'all-knowing being'.
• acknowledge that all students bring a great deal of knowledge of, and concerns about, the world into the classroom.
• construct teaching and learning environment to allow them to build critically on that knowledge, and develop those concerns.
 

2) What's a journal?
 

• a means of assessing courses taught through the principles of 'border pedagogy'.
• a personal response to course materials.
• an ongoing, developmental response to course materials.
• a combination of the 'personal' and the 'academic'.
 

3) How might this contribute to a 'critical geography'..?
 

• making connections:
 
• progressive senses of place?
• progressive senses of self?
 
• extending involvement:
 
• questioning dominant knowledges.
• encouraging situated knowledges.
• working against classroom exclusions.
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4) Matters for discussion..?

 practical issues..?
 

• appropriateness to subject material.
• organising lectures, readings, discussions, etc.
• managing the 'professional self'.
• managing student expectation.
• class membership.
• class size.
• student work-load.
• assessment.
• differences between national educational contexts.
 
• pedagogical outcomes..?
 
• see selected student 'conclusions'
 

5) Further reading..?
 

•  What can a 'border pedagogy' course look like?
 
• click  for the total 'transatlantic' package as presented to students in 1997-8 (course outline, journal checklist, session handouts and total reading list).
 
•  Is there a more detailed version of this talk?
 
 - Yes:
 
I Cook (1996) Empowerment through journal writing? Border pedagogy at work. Falmer: University of Sussex Research Paper in Geography No.26.
 
 
• What about that 'border pedagogy' literature?
 
 - Try the following:

H Giroux & P McLaren (eds.) (1994) Between borders: pedagogy & the politics of cultural difference. London: Routledge.

H Giroux & D Trend (1992) "Cultural workers, pedagogy & the politics of difference: beyong cultural conservatism" Cultural studies 6(1) pp.51-72.

H Giroux (1991) "Democracy & the discourse of cultural difference: towards a politics of border pedagogy." British journal of sociology of education 12(4) pp.501-519.

H Giroux (1992) "Resisting difference: cultural studies & the discourse of critical pedagogy." pp.199-212 in L. Grossberg, C. Nelson & P. Treichler (eds.) Cultural studies. London: Routledge.

H Giroux (1994a) Disturbing pleasures: learning popular culture. London: Routledge.

H Giroux (1994b) "Insurgent multiculturalism & the promise of pedagogy." pp.325-343 in D.T. Goldberg (ed.) Multiculturalism: a critical reader. Oxford: Blackwells.

b hooks (1994) Teaching to transgress: education & the practice of freedom. London: Routledge.

C Johnson (1994) "Participatory rhetoric & the teacher as racial/gendered subject." College English 56(4) pp.409-419

L McDowell (1994) "Polyphony & pedagogic authority." Area 26(3) pp.241-248.

R Miller (1994) "Fault lines in the contact zone." College English 56(4) pp.389-408.

H Moghissi (1994) "Racism & sexism in academic practice: a case study." pp.222-234 in Afshar, H. & Maynard, M. (eds.) The dynamics of 'race' & gender: some feminist interventions. London: Taylor & Francis.

M L Pratt (1991) "Arts of the contact zone." Profession 91 pp.33-40.

 

 

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