Abstract
This chapter comprises a lightly edited record of a dialogue between Elizabeth Atkinson and Mike Cole. It was recorded during the MERD seminar (October, 2002) chaired by Glenn Rikowski (GR), in which they explored different approaches to critical thinking, analysis, and practices. As in previous exchanges between them, they express challenging alternatives as well as some significant elements of complementarity around the issues and grounds on which Marxism and postmodernism may engage in relation to education, political action, and social justice. The format had Elizabeth and Mike in dialogue as well as addressing questions from the floor. Mike led off with an opening statement followed by Elizabeth’s responses and discussion.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Allman, P. (1999) Revolutionary Social Transformation: Democratic Hopes, Political Possibilities and Critical Education (Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey).
Atkinson, E. (2001) A Response to Mike Cole’s “Educational Postmodernism, Social Justice and Societal Change: An Incompatible Ménage-a-trois.” The School Field: International Journal of Theory and Research in Education, 12 (1 and 2): 87–94.
Atkinson, E. (2002) The Responsible Anarchist: Postmodernism and Social Change. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 23 (1): 73–87.
Baxter, J. (2002) A Juggling Act: A Feminist Post-structuralist Analysis of Girls’ and Boys’ Talk in the Secondary Classroom. Gender and Education, 14 (1): 5–19.
Butler, J. (1992) Contingent Foundations: Feminism and the Question of “Postmodernism.” In J. Butler and J. Scott (eds.) Feminists Theorize the Political, 3–21 (New York: Routledge).
Callinicos, A. (2000) Equality (Oxford: Polity).
Cole, M. (ed.). (2000/2006) Education, Equality and Human Rights: Issues of Gender, “Race,” Sexuality, Special Needs and Social Class (London: Routledge/Falmer).
Cole, M. (2001) Educational Postmodernism, Social Justice and Social Change: An Incompatible Ménage-à-trois. The School Field, 12 (1/2): 69–85.
Cole, M. (2003a) Might It Be in the Practice That It Fails to Succeed? A Marxist Critique of Claims for Postmodernism and Poststructuralism as Forces for Social Change and Social Justice. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 24 (4): 487–500.
Cole, M. (2003b) Global Capital, Postmodern/Poststructural Deconstruction and Social Change: A Marxist Critique. Paper presented at a conference entitled The Work of Karl Marx and Challenges for the XXI Century, Institute of Philosophy of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Havana, Cuba. Available at http://www.nodo50.org/cubasigloXXI/congres%ole_05abr03.pdf).
Derrida, J. (1992) Force of Law: The “Mystical Foundation of Authority.” In D. Cornell, M. Rosenfeld, and D. G. Carlson (eds.) Deconstruction and the Possibility of Justice, 3–67 (London: Routledge).
Flax, J. (1992) The End of Innocence. In J. Butler and J. Scott (eds.) Feminists Theorize the Political, 445–463 (New York: Routledge).
Geras, N. (1989) The Controversy about Marx and Justice. In A. Callinicos (ed.) Marxist Theory (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
Hill, D. and M. Cole. (eds.). (1999) Promoting Equality in Secondary Schools (London: Cassell).
Hill, D., P. McClaren, M. Cole. and G. Rikowski. (2002) Marxism against Postmodernism in Educational Theory (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books).
Lather, P. (2001) Ten Years Later, Yet Again: Critical Pedagogy and Its Complicities. In K. Weiler (ed.) Feminist Engagements: Reading, Resisting and Revisioning Male Theorists in Education and Cultural Studies, 183–195 (London: Routledge).
Marx, K. (1966) Capital, Vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers).
Marx, K. (1970) Critique of the Gotha Programme. Marx/Engels Selected Works, Vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers).
Marx, K. (1973) Grundrisse (London: New Left Review, Allen Lane).
St. Pierre, E. (2001) The Intelligibility of Postmodern Educational Research. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, 10–14 April.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2007 Anthony Green, Glenn Rikowski, and Helen Raduntz
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Atkinson, E., Cole, M. (2007). Indecision, Social Justice, and Social Change: A Dialogue on Marxism, Postmodernism, and Education. In: Green, A., Rikowski, G., Raduntz, H. (eds) Renewing Dialogues in Marxism and Education. Marxism and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230609679_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230609679_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-53565-1
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-60967-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social & Cultural Studies CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)