Equality, Uniqueness, Renewal : Conversations to Reimagine Pedagogical Action, with Jacques Rancière and Adriana Cavarero

Sammanfattning: Sjöstrand (1970a) called the relation between equality and freedom a fundamental pedagogical problem because it shapes assumptions about how pedagogical action affects renewal—or, the issue of human becoming in an always already populated context. In this dissertation I reimagine Sjöstrand’s pedagogical problem, replacing the terms of equality and freedom with Rancière’s concept of equality and Cavarero’s concept of uniqueness, in order to consider the consequences for (a) the connection between pedagogical action and renewal, and (b) the image(s) of renewal that pedagogical action might prioritize.I proceed in four steps. I first outline the framework through which uniqueness and equality can be considered to underpin pedagogical action. Second, I develop a method of conversational juxtaposition to examine the relation between these two concepts without erasing their incommensurability. Third, I analyze a conversational juxtaposition to reimagine the connection between pedagogical action and its intent to affect renewal. Fourth, I analyze a second conversational juxtaposition to reimagine the image(s) of renewal that pedagogical action intends to affect.Through these steps I reimagine pedagogical action as functioning in the service of images of renewal but not as creating those images. Pedagogical action’s intent to affect renewal can be considered successful in terms of maintaining what is and fostering new persons into the world. But, it can be considered unsuccessful in regard to creatively transforming the world. Reimagined pedagogical action is fundamentally open to renewing and reimagining itself in the service of images of renewal, and is therefore quite flexible. At the same time, the task of pedagogical action is not all-encompassing, and creative questions of renewal must be addressed elsewhere—politically.