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1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CRITICAL? Stephen Brookfield
Distinguished University Professor
University of St. Thomas
Minneapolis-St. Paul
2. CRITICAL THINKING A premature ultimate its invocation stops further analysis & questioning
In most H.E. mission statements
Broad agreement on process identifying & checking assumptions
Implementation changes depending on intellectual tradition most influential
3. Critical Traditions . ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY logical fallacies, argument analysis inductive, deductive, analogical, inferential
NATURAL SCIENCE hypothetical-deductive method, principle of falsifiability
CRITICAL THEORY uncovering power dynamics & ideological manipulation
PRAGMATISM experimental pursuit of beautiful consequences (democracy)
4. Core Assumptions of Critical Theory Society organized to make permanent inequity appear normal, a natural state of affairs
Perception of normality created & disseminated via dominant ideology
Point of theory is to illuminate as a prompt to action
5. What Does it Mean to Be Critical?Five Tasks Pursued Experimentally Understand how power operates its dynamics, its ethical use & abuse in relationships, work & community
Detect ideological manipulation
Recognize & challenge hegemony
Alert to how repressive tolerance neutralizes challenges to the system
Practicing democracy
6. Understanding Power Researching use of teacher power
Understanding student-student dynamics
CRITICAL INCIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Most engaged moment
Most distanced moment
Most helpful action
Most puzzling action
What surprised you most
7. IDEOLOGICAL MANIPULATION How ideology is embedded in micro-actions & everyday decisions
Depression patriarchy
Micro-aggressions: racial & gender
Political participation theyre all the same, everythings fixed, mustnt grumble
8. IDEOLOGICAL MANIPULATION CAPITALISM
Competition as natural survival of fittest
Efficiency via division of labor
Exchange dynamic
Privatization taking care of your own
9. HEGEMONY Enthusiastic embrace of actions & beliefs that harm us & serve the interests of others .
VOCATION
Killing me softly
10. Repressive Tolerance (Marcuse) Include enough challenge to the system to neutralize it critical theory texts
Diversifying curriculum as smorgasbord mainstream always defines the norm
Ideology of democratic tolerance flattening of discussion when all experiences & viewpoints are considered equally valid
11. PRACTICING DEMOCRACY Decisions after inclusive conversation
Decision making processes represent interests of those most affected
Resources stewarded & used for benefit of widest number of people, common good
Negotiation of shared interest collective interest privileged over private interest
12. RESOURCES www.stephenbrookfield.com
www.the99ersband.com
The Power of Critical Theory (2004)
Radicalizing Learning (2010) with John Holst
Teaching for Critical Thinking (2012)