This article begins by examining the bad reputation humor traditionally had in philosophy and education. Two of the main charges against humor--that it is hostile and irresponsible--are linked to the Superiority Theory. That theory is critiqued and two other theories of laughter are presented--the Relief Theory and the Incongruity Theory. In the…

This article aims to critically examine how misrecognition is conceived as a challenge for pedagogic action. Krassimir Stojanov's notion of the pathological behaviour patterns of teachers and Charles Bingham's "pitfalls of recognition" introduce how misrecognition may appear in schools, and offer advice to teachers and students…

In this article I bring Giorgio Agamben's notion of "whatever singularity" into critical pedagogy. I take as my starting point the role of identity within critical pedagogy. I call upon Butler to sketch the debates around the mobilization of identity for political purposes and, conceding the contingent necessity of identity, then…

The central thesis of this article is that the notion of second nature that John McDowell has reanimated has something of ethical and educational importance, thereby possibly extending the borders of the philosophy of education. The argument to this conclusion is the subject of serious consideration and criticism. The aim of this article is…

Wittgenstein constantly invokes teaching, training and learning in his later work. It is therefore interesting to consider what role these notions play for him there. I argue that their use is central to Wittgenstein's attempt to refute cognitivist assumptions, and to show how normative practices can be understood without the threat of…

This article takes Vandenberg's critique of Ream and Ream's view on the Deweyan learning environment as a departing point to explore the educational meaning of place. The divergence between Vandenberg and the Reams reminds us that the place is not merely a physical site for learners to be located in but also a horizon to be engaged with.…

This article examines the moral, political and pedagogical tensions that are created from the entanglement of patriotism and human rights, and sketches a response to these tensions in the context of critical education. The article begins with a brief review of different forms of patriotism, especially as those relate to human rights, and explains…

In this article I explore the pedagogical value of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's philosophical concepts for helping make an "event" of thought, with a view towards fostering deep learning in Chinese students' learning theory and criticism in a second language. Paying attention to the qualitative role of bodies, humour and…

Philosophy and schools, children and dynamite, elephants and postage stamps: each has a place, but not necessarily in any natural combination with the other. Whether schools and philosophy belong together depends largely on what we mean by both. To the extent that schools are instruments of government regulation and a mechanism for production of…

Participation in service-learning courses has always been considered a part of the informal education in tertiary education worldwide. Originating from the assumption that service-learning courses increase students' civic engagement and bridge the gap between knowledge and practice, service-learning courses have gradually acquired the status…

Following Aristotle's description of youth and brief discussion about indoctrination and parrhesia, the article historicizes Socrates' trial as the intersection of philosophy, education and a teacher's influence on youth. It explores the historic-political context and how contemporary Athenians might have viewed Socrates and his student's actions,…

This paper outlines aspects and dimensions of my "relationship" with Richard Peters from 1966 onward. The underlying suggestion is that, while Peters' contribution to philosophy of education was undeniably of major proportions, both that contribution and his legacy are institutional rather than substantive. (Contains 15 notes.)

In this article, I argue that Paulo Freire's liberatory conception of education is interesting, challenging, even transforming because central to it are important aspects of education which other philosophers marginalise. I also argue that Freire's critics are right when they claim that he paid insufficient attention to another important aspect of…

In this article I describe the analytic approach adopted by Peters, his colleagues and followers of the "London line" in the 1960s and 1970s and argue that, even in those times, other approaches to philosophy of education were being valued and practised. I show that Peters and his colleagues later became aware of the need for philosophy of…

This article begins from a consideration of this issue's contention that "central to politicized academic projects... is a critique of the cultural power of institutions" and in particular pedagogical institutions. It argues that is clear enough what the Editor is thinking of here: he names "cultural studies" as his prime…