WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ACT CRITICALLY? Stephen Brookfield Distinguished University Professor University of St. Thomas Minneapolis-St. Paul

CRITICAL THINKING A premature ultimate – its invocation stops further analysis & questioning In most H.E. mission statements Broad agreement on process – identifying & checking assumptions Implementation changes depending on intellectual tradition most influential

Critical Traditions …. ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY – logical fallacies, argument analysis – inductive, deductive, analogical, inferential NATURAL SCIENCE – hypothetical-deductive method, principle of falsifiability CRITICAL THEORY – uncovering power dynamics & ideological manipulation PRAGMATISM – experimental pursuit of beautiful consequences (democracy)

Core Assumptions of Critical Theory Society organized to make permanent inequity appear normal, a natural state of affairs Perception of normality created & disseminated via dominant ideology Point of theory is to illuminate as a prompt to action

What Does it Mean to Be Critical? Five Tasks Pursued Experimentally Understand how power operates – its dynamics, its ethical use & abuse in relationships, work & community Detect ideological manipulation Recognize & challenge hegemony Be alert to how repressive tolerance neutralizes challenges to the system Practice democracy

Understanding Power Researching use of teacher power Understanding student-student dynamics CRITICAL INCIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE Most engaged moment Most distanced moment Most helpful action Most puzzling action What surprised you most

IDEOLOGICAL MANIPULATION How ideology is embedded in micro-actions & everyday decisions … Depression – patriarchy Micro-aggressions: racial & gender Political participation – “they’re all the same”, “everything’s fixed”, “mustn’t grumble”

IDEOLOGICAL MANIPULATION CAPITALISM Competition as natural survival of fittest Efficiency via division of labor Exchange dynamic Privatization – taking care of your own

HEGEMONY Enthusiastic embrace of actions & beliefs that harm us & serve the interests of others …. VOCATION “Killing me softly”

Repressive Tolerance (Marcuse) Include enough challenge to the system to neutralize it – critical theory texts Diversifying curriculum as smorgasbord – mainstream always defines the norm Ideology of democratic tolerance – flattening of discussion when all experiences & viewpoints are considered equally valid

PRACTICING DEMOCRACY Decisions after inclusive conversation Decision making processes represent interests of those most affected Resources stewarded & used for benefit of widest number of people, ‘common good’ Negotiation of shared interest – collective interest privileged over private interest

RESOURCES www.stephenbrookfield.com www.the99ersband.com The Power of Critical Theory (2004) Radicalizing Learning (2010) with John Holst Teaching for Critical Thinking (2012)