The Päadagogisierung of Philosophy

We are familiar with the way that a range of social problems – of citizenship, multiculturalism, militant fundamentalism, equity and access, drug-taking and obesity – are typically met with the response that the answer lies with education or that ‘the schools must do more’. Sometimes this is conceived as a matter of spreading ‘free’ education itself more widely, in contrast with, for instance, the fundamental indoctrination and extremism of Islamist madrasahs; sometimes it is conceived in terms of adding new content or emphases to conventional (Western) schooling. And it is familiar too that in either case a number of difficulties arise. First, the problems become politically neutered: when they are thought of as essentially educational problems it becomes easier to ignore the fact that broad questions of justice, social inclusion and resources – which can only be addressed on the wider political stage – are involved.