Sisters of the Brotherhood: Alienation and Inclusion in Learning Philosophy

ISBN-13: 9783031166693 / Angielski / Miękka / 2023 / 97 str.

Erika Ruonakoski

Opis

This open access book explores the gendered reality of learning philosophy at the university level, investigating the ways in which women and minority students become alienated from the social practices of a male-dominated field, and examining pedagogical solutions to this problem. It covers the roles and the interactions of the professor and student in the following ways: (1) the historical situation, (2) the affective, social and bodily situation, and (3) the moral situation.This text analyzes women’s passion for philosophy as a quest for truth, as well as their partial alienation from the social practices of philosophy. It demonstrates that recognition, generosity, and care are central ingredients of good learning and teaching experiences. Providing case studies of experimental courses in philosophy, the book discusses a variety of pedagogical approaches that might increase the inclusiveness of a philosophical education: novel and more gender-balanced ways of interpreting the history of philosophy, problem-based learning as a means of emancipating the student from the traditional master–disciple relationship, body awareness practices as a way of challenging the “disembodying” tendencies of philosophy, and a pluralism of methods to address the needs of different kinds of learners. Thanks to these features, the book is particularly useful for philosophy professors at the university level, but it also provides insights for all readers who feel puzzled about the persistent underrepresentation of women in philosophy.

Spis treści

Acknowledgements

Introduction: Equality, Inclusion and Alienation in Learning Philosophy

1. Empirical and Pedagogical Background

·         Data on the Underrepresentation of Women in Philosophy

·         Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Harassment

·         Subtle Mechanisms of Discrimination: Implicit Bias, Micro-Inequities and Stereotype Threat

·         Why Does the Underrepresentation of Women and Minorities Matter?

·         Feminist Pedagogy and Philosophy

2. The Historical situation

·         The Historical Roots of Women’s Inclusion and Alienation in Philosophy

·         The Perpetuation of Women’s Marginality

·         Dealing with Tradition: Intimacy and Idolatry

·         Why and How to Bring forward Female Predecessors

·         The Jyväskylä Summer School: Feminist Thinking in Historical Perspective

3. The Emotional and Social Situation

·         Women Students’ Passion for and Alienation from Philosophy

·         Class, Race and Sexual Orientation

·         The Aalborg Summer School: Feminist Political Philosophy and Problem-Based Learning

4. The Bodily Situation

·         Reflections on Embodiment

·         The Reykjavik Summer School: Nature, Emotions and the Body

5. The Moral Situation: Self and Other

·         Reflection as a Remedy to Power Struggles in the Classroom

·         Recognition, Generosity and Care

·         The Oslo Summer School: Care Ethics and Conflicts

Conclusions and Further Questions

·         General Conclusions

·         Questions to Ask Oneself

·         Philosophy and Politics of Education: What’s Next?

References

 

O autorze

Dr. Erika Ruonakoski is Experienced Researcher at the Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä (Finland). She is Co-author of Human and Animal in Ancient Greece: Empathy and Encounter in Classical Literature (2017) and Author of numerous articles on Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophy. Her research interests include existential phenomenology, feminist philosophy, animal philosophy, phenomenology of the body, and the limits and possibilities of philosophy.

Blurb

The book explores the gendered reality of learning philosophy at the university level, investigating the ways in which women and minority students become alienated from the social practices of a male-dominated field, and examining pedagogical solutions to this problem. It covers the roles and the interactions of the professor and student in the following ways: (1) the historical situation, (2) the affective, social and bodily situation, and (3) the moral situation.

This text analyzes women’s passion for philosophy as a quest for truth, as well as their partial alienation from the social practices of philosophy. It demonstrates that recognition, generosity, and care are central ingredients of good learning and teaching experiences. Providing case studies of experimental courses in philosophy, the book discusses a variety of pedagogical approaches that might increase the inclusiveness of a philosophical education: novel and more gender-balanced ways of interpreting the history of philosophy, problem-based learning as a means of emancipating the student from the traditional master–disciple relationship, body awareness practices as a way of challenging the “disembodying” tendencies of philosophy, and a pluralism of methods to address the needs of different kinds of learners. Thanks to these features, the book is particularly useful for philosophy professors at the university level, but it also provides insights for all readers who feel puzzled about the persistent underrepresentation of women in philosophy.