Abstract Liselott Mariett Olsson

Keynote talk

Equitable Encounters Between Pedagogy and Philosophy for Joyful Aesthetic Literacy-Events in Early Childhood Education and Care

In what is conventionally known as the Western world, the relation between philosophy and pedagogy has historically been of a most intimate kind. This is of course the case for all scientific disciplines that have their origin in philosophy. However, “now that they are grown up and well established” (Deleuze 2004:23), how to conceive this relationship?

In the first part of this presentation, the question is explored in relation to Anglo-American and Continental traditions of Pedagogy and against the background of increasing political pressure to conform to purely cognitive and disembodied teaching and learning of language (SOU 2024:81). I show how such conformation implies a historical break with an aesthetic dimension in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) that joins heart, hand and head in literacy pedagogies and philosophies (Dewey 1934; Pestalozzi 1827). I argue for the need to both identify the specificity of pedagogical and philosophical knowledge-traditions and establish equitable encounters, where they can enrichen each other and jointly counteract the current political “aesthetic divide” between body and mind in early childhood literacy.

In the second part, the question is pursued through joining Deleuze and Guattari’s Bergson-inspired logic of sense and aesthetics (Bergson 1896; Deleuze 1969; Guattari 1992; Deleuze & Guattari 1980) with the pedagogical notion of “aesthetic literacy-events” (Olsson & Lecusay 2023). I demonstrate how this encounter can be conceptualized, and I propose that this makes it possible to theoretically argue for more vital literacy practices in ECEC.

In the third and final part, the question is followed up at the level of ECEC practice. I present results from two research projects on literacy, conducted in collaboration with children, preschool teachers and artists; and I claim that equitable encounters between the here activated philosophical, pedagogical and artistic resources also lead to more equitable, and joyful, early childhood literacy education.

REFERENCES

Bergson, Henri, Matière et mémoire: essai sur la relation du corps à l’esprit (1896); transl. Matter and Memory. New York, Zone Books 1988.

Deleuze, Gilles, Bergson, 1859-1941, dans D. Lapoujade (éd.) L’île déserte et autres textes: Textes et entretiens 1953-1974 (2002); transl. Bergson, 1859-1941, in D. Lapoujade (ed.) Desert Islands and other texts,Los Angeles & New York, Semiotext(e) 2004.

Deleuze Gilles, Logique du sens (1969); transl. The Logic of Sense, Columbia University Press, New York 1990.

Deleuze Gilles, Guattari Félix, Mille Plateaux. Capitalisme et schizophrénie 2 (1980); transl. A Thousand Plateaus. Capitalism and Schizophrenia, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis-London 1987.

Dewey, John, Art as experience, New York, Perigee Books 1934.

Guattari, Félix, Chaosmose (1992); transl. Chaosmosis – an ethico-aesthetic paradigm, Indiana University Press, Bloomington & Indianapolis 1995.

Olsson, Liselott Mariett, Lecusay, Robert From proof-of-concept to scale in the study of aesthetic literacy-events for cognitive language-development and equitable and inclusive early childhood education and care: Designing a research program,Research proposal, Swedish Research Council 2023.

Pestalozzi, Johann Friedrich, Letters on Early Education: Addressed to J.P. Greaves, London, Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper 1827.

SOU (2024:81) Betänkande om utredningen Ämneskunskaper och lärarskicklighet – en reformerad lärarutbildning. Offentlig utredning. Stockholm: Utbildningsdepartementet (Governmental Investigation suggesting a new scientific base for teacher-education in The Sciences of Reading, consisting of cognitive science and one method, Phonics, for learning and teaching language).