Mind is primarily a verb: Caring democracy and education

Stefano Oliverio explores integrating the vocabulary of caring alongside autonomy.

Secondary school students walking through a corridor. Photo by Phil Meech for IOE.

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Mind is primarily a verb: Caring democracy and education

12 Mar 2025, 17:30 – 19:15

This presentation, inspired by Axel Honneth’s call to reconnect educational and political philosophy in theorising democracy, explores integrating the vocabulary of caring alongside autonomy, central to the tradition from Kant to Dewey. Revisiting John Dewey’s democracy/education ‘conceptual hendiadys’ in light of caring democracy debates, Stefano Oliverio will highlight his notions of (im)maturity and mind, rooted in a care-centred, anti-Kantian perspective. Finally, Stefano will propose reimagining education for inquiry as education for caring, with caring thinking and communities of inquiry – aligned with Joan Tronto’s “caring with” – serving as pivotal tools for fostering caring democracy.

This event will be particularly useful for those interested in political and moral philosophy of education, and the role of education in fostering democracy.

Please note this is an online event. To book your place, please email Yuxin Su: stnvysu@ucl.ac.uk.

PESGB seminar series

This event is part of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) seminar series. PESGB is a learned society that promotes the study, teaching and application of philosophy of education. Its London Branch hosts seminars every Wednesday in conjunction with the Centre for Philosophy of Education. These seminars are led by national and international scholars in the field, covering a wide range of issues of educational and philosophical concern.

All are welcome to attend.

Image

Phil Meech for IOE.

Stefano Oliverio

Associate Professor of Educational Theory at the Department of Political Sciences

University of Naples Federico II (Italy)

He publishes and teaches in the areas of philosophy of education, educational theory, American pragmatism, Philosophy for Children, and education for citizenship. From 2013 to 2017, he was vice-president of the International Council of Philosophical Inquiry with Children (ICPIC). Since 2018, he has been co-editor (with Gert Biesta) of the book series “Theorizing Education” and a member of the board of co-convenors of Network 13 (Philosophy of Education) within the EERA.