Exploring the work that makes the educational possible in the context of policing in school: Praktiknära forskning through educational philosophy and prison abolition

Abstract

Session: Strukturella förutsättningar för utbildning och lärande

This presentation departs from recent research in Sweden that has shown that schools have increased reporting to and cooperating with the police and matters at the school have increasingly been treated as crimes (Berndtsson, 2019; Lunneblad, Johansson, & Odenbring, 2019; Odenbring, Johansson, Hammarén, & Lunneblad 2019). Against this backdrop, “praktiknära forskning inom den föränderlighet som hör till pedagogiskt arbete” takes on a particular importance. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the work that makes the educational possible in the context of policing in school. I take a notion of “praktiknära” that research is close to practice not only through, for example, classroom observations, but that research is also close to practice when it takes up ways of thinking about the work (the practices) that make the educational possible. Drawing on the work of Gert Biesta, I consider the subjectification aspect of education to be the educational part of education.  To explore the work that makes the educational possible I turn to discussions within educational philosophy.

More specifically, I largely consider the work Jan Masschelein and Maarten Simons, Gert Biesta, and Sharon Todd. I put these discussions within educational philosophy into conversation with the work of prison abolitionist educators, and therefore the method is philosophical inquiry. Discussions within educational philosophy are put into conversation with the work of prison abolitionist educators because the educational philosophy helps provide the language for thinking about the practices that make the educational possible in general- where the work of abolitionist educators provides ways of thinking about these practices in the context of policing in schools, specifically. Putting these together results in a synergy that expands ways of understanding and doing educational work in the context of policing in schools. Consequently, I also suggest that when done with a focus to practice, educational philosophy can contribute to generative praktiknära forskning.

References

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