Asking after the self in the process of learning without a definitive endpoint or prescribed path to creating that knowledge presents a way to consider a self that is distinct from assumptions of what constitutes an ideal learner. Thinking of the space and self in motion, rather than as inert and passive, allows the exploration of pedagogical implications. In this paper, I revisit a moment of self-provocation during preparation for a class. Reflecting and critically engaging with this memory presents a vignette to work through the possibilities of transitional space, the sensation of the becoming, learning self, and how the act of “catching myself” enables the reconsideration of engaging with pedagogy and assumptions made about education. Conceptualizing the learning self as becoming and in motion—rather than being, was, is, or to be—loosens the grasp of fixed educational assumptions that guide the discourse of education, in how it is conceived and acted out. This “loosening” has reverberations within the politics of how things are taught, considered, and learned, as it calls into question hierarchical valuations of what constitute “accepted” ways of knowing and being.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael Hardt reflects on recent transformations within Empire. Several unique themes emerge concerning power and pedagogy as they intersect with subjectivity and global crisis. Drawing on the common in conjunction with the tradition of love in education uncovers a different path that attends to today's real political, ecological, and social needs. Finally, a focus on collectivity points to a possible strategy-collective intellectuality-for educators to revise traditional notions of leadership to encourage more ethical, democratic, and sustainable futures. Yet, what this looks like in practice remains for us to imagine.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.