[SSC] Maps and politics of 'radical education projects'

[Richard Hall]

A note of caution - Taggart has also written for New Public Thinkers at:
http://newpublicthinkers.org/?p=35 I think that this was a weak
assessment of the left, based on traditional/orthodox narratives of the
state and capital. This lack of an engagement in the history/critique of
the left/radical leftist politics is asserted again in the link Sarah
posts below, which at a trivial level basis its criticism on freedom,
based on the use of "free" (as in monetary value) in the title of these
"anarchist" schools. In part, this may be the case, but in part it is a
reaction to Gove's definition of free schools.

 

The list is interesting. The Third University, for example, aims to
deliver #coffeelols [see me in the pub for an explanation] and to be the
third best university in Leicester. Maybe it's radical. Maybe it is a
piss-take. Maybe it is an outlet for some people in Leicester. Maybe it
is educational. Maybe it is what you want it to be. Is it really
anarchist? Maybe it needs to be kettled first, so we find out.

 

I like David's suggestion of a symposium - perhaps a pulling together of
these radical projects/forms.

 

In solidarity.

 

R.

 

From: ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org
[mailto:ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org] On Behalf Of David Young
Sent: 26 September 2011 07:29
To: Amsler, Sarah; ssc at lists.aktivix.org
Subject: Re: [SSC] Maps and politics of 'radical education projects'

 

Dear Sarah,

 

Thanks for sharing these texts and your thoughts around this central
issue. 

 

On the idea of bringing people together, I think this is an excellent
suggestion, and is in fact what one such "alternative education" project
is attempting to do in London next month. Dougald Hine's "University
Project" is holding a "Universities Past and Future" event at the Hub in
Westminster from 14th - 16th October. More here:

 

http://univproject.pbworks.com/w/page/45692087/The%20University%20Projec
t

 

That said, it may be that we, the SSC, consider hosting a similar event
to discuss, as you suggest, the politics and pedagogies of forms of
alternative education.

 

Thanks,
David.

 

On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 10:58 PM, Amsler, Sarah <S.S.AMSLER at aston.ac.uk>
wrote:

Dear all,

I came across the two texts below and would be interested in discussing
them with anyone also interested. I think they offer a way into some
pressing questions about major concepts (freeness and freedom,
radicalism, anarchistic politics, etc.) that are being both materialised
in practice and called into question. It might be an interesting
exercise, for example, to try to formulate responses to some of the
(perhaps rhetorically framed) questions in the second.

Sociological Imagination's working list of 'radical education projects'
in the UK:
http://sociologicalimagination.org/a-work-in-progress

Andrew Taggart's critical questioning of the above forms, as
particularly read:
http://andrewjtaggart.com/2011/09/19/on-the-other-side-of-radical-educat
ion-lies-wisdom-an-exhortation-or-on-the-question-whether-really-free-is
-really-good/

After spending a second weekend working with the people of the Free
University of Liverpool (to whom I will send a copy of this message), I
am clearer that there is certainly a moment of emergence with these
different projects, which have been developing for a little (or long)
while, all coming into some serious material form but often autonomously
from each other. I'd like to think about the place of this in history,
the context of this historical moment and the forms of politics and
pedagogies being developed -- and whether or not they really are all
characterised by a 'shared ethos of anarchism' (an argument which I do
not entirely agree with) it seems like a wider conversation to have on
the radar. I have had some thoughts about at some point in the
reasonably near future bringing people involved in these different
projects/spaces together to share experiences and imaginaries?

Best,
Sarah

Dr Sarah S Amsler
Lecturer in Sociology
Aston University
Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
+44 (0) 121 204 3072 <tel:%2B44%20%280%29%20121%20204%203072> 
s.s.amsler at aston.ac.uk

Campaign for the Public University: http://publicuniversity.org.uk

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