ERIC Number: EJ1071997
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 11
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0160-7561
EISSN: N/A
Katrina and the Privilege of Despair: Welch's Model of Connection in Teaching for Social Justice
Brown, Alicia D.; Brooks, Julia G.; Gunzenhauser, Michael G.
Philosophical Studies in Education, v39 p76-86 2008
In this essay, the authors note a particular air of apathy in relation to the post-Katrina era expressed in teacher education classes. They are concerned with what the cultural levees mean for justice-oriented educators. How might they find ways to foster in their students connections of empathy and solidarity with those experiencing these inequities? Drawing on the feminist philosopher and theologian Sharon Welch, they frame their students' attitudes as instances of double privilege: inaction that comes from the combination of comfort regarding one's own life circumstances and despair regarding the circumstances of others. How do educators work to overcome the apathy, fear, and resistance many students exhibit when faced with challenging issues of social and racial justice? In light of the struggles of these particular students to engage with the experiences of Katrina survivors, the authors interpret the feelings and acknowledgements of resistance as examples of fear and despair rooted in privilege.
Descriptors: Natural Disasters, Weather, Social Justice, Models, Teacher Education, Empathy, Feminism, Social Class, Psychological Patterns, Resistance (Psychology), Social Theories
Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society. Web site: http://www.ovpes.org/journal.htm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A