The seminar introduces the research perspective of governmentality studies and explores its relevance for the sociology of education. Following the work of Michel Foucault and others, in this seminar we understand education as a practice of „creating kinds of people“ (Popkewitz) and as a technology of governing these kinds of people according to (historically changing) societal conditions and ideals. In this sense, we understand the task of sociology of education as to reconstruct such technologies of government, forms of subjectivation and its effects in the field of education. This reconstruction includes educational research itself, which is not understood as neutral observer of these practices, but as an actor involved in them.
The seminar consist of two parts: In the shorter first part, we discuss the most important theoretical foundations and concepts of governmentality studies. In the second part – which is the core of the seminar – we discuss this perspective based on examples of concrete forms of subjectivation currently prevalent in the field of educational practice and research (e.g. the ‚enterprising self‘, the ‚integrated Muslim‘, the ‚eco-certified child‘, the ‚promising student‘). We analyse the assumptions, normativities and including and excluding effects of these forms of subjectivation and discuss what this means for educational practice. A focus will be on issues related to diversity, discrimination and privilege.
Note: The seminar will take place weekly via Zoom, beginning on 10 October 2023 and ending on 19 December 2023.
- Kursleiter/in: Daniel Schumann