Reading Bernstein and Critical Posthumanism Diffractively Through One Another: Intra-activity Pedagogy

Ha, Bokju

Reading Bernstein and Critical Posthumanism Diffractively Through One Another: Intra-activity Pedagogy

Master Thesis

2018

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

Diffractive methodology has been developed by Donna Haraway and Karen Barad as a methodology to read two (or more) different thoughts or works without criticism. The diffractive methodology allows us to see and reinforce connections which seemly opposed to each other (Van der Tuin, 2011:27). This is based on the ontological shift from interaction, where we start with separate entities which then interact, to intra-action, an event through which subject and object emerge (Barad, 2007)). With the help of this posthuman methodology, I read Bernstein’s sociological theory of education that is based on the important concept of boundary and a 'tree-like’ structuring of concepts the structure of trees diffractively through knowledge as conceptualised by critical posthumanists. The latter philosophical orientation (Braidotti, 2013) is based on the structuring of concepts like 'rhizomes’, that is, shooting in all directions without middle or end and with its blurred and indeterminate ontological boundaries. This study aims to answer the following questions through diffraction: What new insight may be realised in terms of knowledge and pedagogy by reading Bernstein and critical posthumanism diffractively? How does critical posthumanism problematise knowledge and pedagogy as theorised by Bernstein? What is a posthuman pedagogy? In what way can each theory contribute to solving the inequalities of education today? Bernstein, who has devoted himself to the analysis of power and control in relation to inequalities in the school, has described inequalities in relation to unequal distribution of power, and social groups and strength of boundaries. In this regard, I will address four concepts related to this egalitarianism through Bernstein and critical posthumanism and suggest the notion of trans-material egalitarianism in relation to equality in education. The four concepts are subject, boundaries, power and causality. Reading these two theories diffractively gives rise to an interference pattern or superposition (Barad, 2007), especially about trans-species egalitarian education. Critical posthumanism offers another perspective that includes transdisciplinary approaches to investigate inequality in schooling. This study will focus on this navigational tool (Braidotti, 2013) in order to combat injustice through the reproduction of inequality. In conclusion, I suggest that the trans-species egalitarianism education has existed in Eastern philosophy for a long time, and that trans-species egalitarianism education in the post - human era will be achieved by reading Eastern and Western education as a diffraction.

Keywords

Education

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