Another Relationship to Failure
Reflections on Beckett and Education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11952291 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alexis O’donnell (0000-0003-4570-8793, University of Limerick, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 260-275 |
| Publication date | 2014-04-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Philosophy of Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0309-8249 • E-ISSN: 1467-9752 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9752.12064 |
| OpenAlex | W2119047717 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 3 |
Failure is seen as a problem in education. From failing \nschools, to failing students to rankings of universities, \nliteracy or numeracy, the perception that one has failed to \ncompete or to compare favourably with others has led \nto a series of policy initiatives internationally designed to \nensure ‘success for all’. But when success is measured in \ncomparison with others or against benchmarks or standards, \nthen it is impossible to see how all could be successful given \nthe parameters laid down. What are the implications of a \nculture that values success and achievement? How difficult is \nit to become the kind of individual who is flourishing, \nautonomous and becomes ‘all she can be’, in particular \nunder the precarious conditions of contemporary capitalism? \nSamuel Beckett was sceptical of the quest for progress, \nproduction and prestige. His philosophy invites another way \nof thinking about failure, not as something one is, but rather \nas something one does: the pain and fear of inadequacy that \ncan mark educational relations and experiences is alleviated \nby a more renunciative, gentle philosophy of education. \nThere are two interwoven strands in this article. One \nquestions the emphasis on competition and achievement in \ncontemporary education and explores its implications for our \nrelationship to failure. The second, strongly influenced by \nBeckett, explores ways of reimagining our relationship to \nfailure in such a way that allows us to reflect on what \nmatters in life
Higher education · Philosophy of education · Political science · Sociology · Law · Philosophy, Ethics, and Existentialism · Political Theology and Sovereignty · Samuel Beckett and Modernism
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,36 |
| Citation span | 2015 - 2022 (8) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |