DELIBERATION INSTEAD OF POWER – AN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

What is it about?

DELIBERATION INSTEAD OF POWER – AN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT Power is undoubtedly a politically intriguing phenomenon. However, mainly its socio-practical character makes power especially important from the educational point of view. Our thinking around the concept of power can be focused on its two types: 1. Asymmetrical conception of power containing elements of resistance and conflict, 2. Concepts of power as a collective potential. The institution of school using appropriate didactic strategies in an active way can support or block one of the two proposed concepts of power. By advocating for the concept of power as a collective potential, in this article the author proposes to consider a deliberative thinking procedure as an element of education influencing the understanding of the functioning of democracy. The main purpose of the article is to justify the thesis that applying the procedural model of justification in educational practice (see John Rawls) makes a significant contribution to students’ acquisition of thinking skills that support deliberative attitudes.

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