Description
This volume provides evidence for the argument of a central place of pedagogy in the interpretation of Gramsci’s political theory. Gramsci’s view that ‘every relationship of hegemony is necessarily a pedagogical relationship’ makes it imperative to dismiss narrow and formal interpretations of his educational theories as applying to schooling only. This book argues that what is required rather is an inquiry into the Italian thinker’s broad conceptualisation of pedagogy, which he thought of as a quintessential political activity, central to understanding and transforming society.
Preceded by a broad introduction that positions Gramsci in his context and in the literature, the essays in this book critically revisit the many passages of the Prison Notebooks and pre-prison writings where Gramsci addresses the nexus between politics and pedagogy. Some essays apply those concepts to specific contexts. The book for the first time brings to the attention of an English-speaking audience voices from the current historiography in Italy and Latin America.
We are forced at regular intervals to consider how Gramsci might still be useful, in particular national territories, in an international context. How can we carry on with pessimism of the intelligence, but find some basis for optimism of the will?
From the foreword of Anne Showstack Sassoon, Visiting Professor of Politics at the Department of Politics at Birbeck, University of London
Table of Contents
Foreword, Anne Showstack-Sassoon.- Preface, Nicola Pizzolato and John D. Holst.- Gramsci, Politics and Pedagogy: an Interpretative Framework, Nicola Pizzolato and John D. Holst.- Part 1 Understanding Gramsci and Education.- Gramsci, Hegemony and Educational Politics, Peter Mayo.- Culture, Education and Political Leadership in Gramsci’s Thought, Riccardo Pagano.- The Pedagogy of Praxis and the Role of Education in the Prison Notebooks, Diego Fusaro.- Part 2 Using a Gramscian Framework for Research.- A Pedagogy for Power: Antonio Gramsci and Luis Emilio Recabarren on the Educational role of Working-Class Organizations, María Alicia Vetter and John D. Holst.- Gramsci as Theory, Pedagogy and Strategy: Educational Lessons from the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement, Rebecca Tarlau.- Language, Education and European Unification: Perceptions and Reality of Global English in Italy, Alessandro Carlucci.- Teachers as Salaried Intellectual Workers: Are They part of the “Pueblo”? AnArgentinean Perspective, Flora M. Hillert.- Part 3 Key Gramscian Concepts and Pedagogy.- Hegemony as Pedagogy: The Formation of a Collective Will and of Individual Personality According to Gramsci, Andrè Tosel.- A pedagogy of the Subalterns: Gramsci and the Groups “on the margins of history”, Pietro Maltese.- Catharsis: Antonio Gramsci, Pedagogy and the Political Independence of the Working Class, John D. Holst and Stephen D. Brookfield.
