Learning or Therapy? The Demoralisation of Education

Bibliographic Data

ID8408239
AuthorsKathryn Ecclestone (University of Exeter, corresponding author)
Year2004
Volume52
Issue2
Pages112-137
Publication date2004-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Educational Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-1005 • E-ISSN: 1467-8527
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-8527.2004.00258.x
OpenAlexW1978908605
LanguageEN
Citations received44
References cited20

Contemporary educational goals place increasing emphasis on conferring recognition and building self-esteem for people deemed to be marginalised and vulnerable. Such goals coalesce with the language, symbols and practices of therapy inscribed within a broader ‘therapeutic ethos’. The paper relates these trends to broader cultural demoralisation about people's potential for human agency and evaluates their effects on educational debates. A therapeutic ethos in education appears benign and empowering. Yet, the paper argues that it produces a diminished view of people and low expectations about people's capacity for resilience and autonomy. One effect is to encourage an alignment between the values and activities of education and welfare. This both legitimises and extends institutional and government influence over people's psychological and emotional states. The paper explores these trends and evaluates their implications for educational ideas about human agency

Agency (philosophy) · Autonomy · Ethos · Government (linguistics) · Inscribed figure · Political science · Psychological resilience · Social science · Sociology · Welfare · Early Childhood Education and Development · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · Law · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology · Social Psychology

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