Tronto's notion of privileged irresponsibility and the reconceptualisation of care: implications for critical pedagogies of emotion in higher education

This article takes on some of care theorist Joan Tronto's ideas on care and responsibility and asks what implications they have for critical pedagogies in higher education. The authors argue that Tronto's political ethics of care framework enriches the transformative potential of critical pedagogies, because it helps expose how power and emotion operate through (ir)responsibility. In particular, Tronto's notion of ‘privileged irresponsibility’ is analysed in relation to the gendered and emotional ideologies and practices that are constructed discursively and materially. It is argued that critical pedagogies of emotion grounded in Tronto's political ethics of care provide the concepts and openings to critically explore the emotions arising from failing to recognise different teachers' and students' needs and from engaging in practices of privileged irresponsibility. Also, critical pedagogies of emotion encourage students and educators to be attentive to their own emotional positions and practices with regard to caring responsibilities and (gendered and other) privileged irresponsibilities.     

TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Technology is often the primary means by which we communicate with and serve our users, and this column offers a forum for exploring innovative, creative, and effective uses of technology for providing public services, including circulation, course reserves, instruction, public workstations, reference, media services, and more. Guest columnists representing a diverse range of contexts and technological expertise will provide case studies, opinion pieces, and reviews on a range of technological solutions for public services. Topic ideas and queries about contributing to this column may be addressed to the Technology Column Editor, Colleen Bell, colleen.bell@ucfv.ca.     

Editorial

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