Shared by: Affrica Taylor, Veronica Pacini-Ketchabaw and Mindy Blaise
This is the third of a five-part series of blogs – based around questions that Kathleen Kummen asked us in a video-recorded zoom conference panel session in September 2020. We edited the 2 hours session into segments, based around 5 sets of questions and answers. You’ll be able to watch the video segments via the links provided at the end of each blog post.
Kathleen asked us to talk about why it is so hard to understand the agency of the material world and other beings. For many, this becomes a challenge as we assign human agency to materials and beings, and struggle to see the agency enacted by materials, humans, and other beings in relationship. In answer to this question, Mindy reflects on the history of the agentic child in early childhood education and how this can get in the way of considering the agentic world. Affrica discusses how humanist understandings of agency get in the way of us fully appreciating the inherent relationality of agency. And Veronica talks about the risk in not taking the time to carefully and rigorously address these questions of the agency of the world.
Kummen, K., Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Blaise, M. & Taylor, A (2020) Common World Pedagogies: Interview Part 3. Video-recorded zoom keynote panel session. North Shore Early Childhood Conference: To Learn, To Wonder, Vancouver, 25/26 September https://youtu.be/PVxdSvsldCA
thank you so much.
im an art student and conducting workshops through a socially engaged participative critically questioning ecoart approach…seeking phycological shift to relating to nature/non human beings in the context of climate change. this styems from an eco haven created as wild life centered rather than human centered. Now in lockdown the workshops move through direct action investigation, through drawing and other media and also walking with, hopefully, a keen eyed open curiosity deformatting and decolonizing mindset. the workshop begin with experts in the field discussing topics raised in your blog above. id be really grateful for any links and suggestions you could put me in touch with as im very new in this area.
ive just heard veronica today taliking with leon tikly.
i feel if ive picking up things discussed that I’m already applying in a way that as yet i havnt quite come across but dont quite yet know yet how to describe to you but definitely trough inter relations. my head is a bit overwhelming with the excitement of hearing your discussion. interestingly enough before embarking on an art pathway i found as a mature person that i am very dyslectic, this gave me some confidence and i think my approach is very much geared to a different way of thinking. with thanks and very best extra care and birdsong
margaretkokoroarts@gmail.com
some work is here
@margaretkokoro
margaret jennings ‘retreevable life findings’
margaret jenninhs BAFA Hons Goldsmiths UOL