Fugitive pedagogies of dread for radical futurity: Affective, ontological, and political implications

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to suggest that the concept of fugitive pedagogies of dread contributes to affective, ontological and political reorientations of dread in teaching and learning for/about the future. To do so, the paper puts in conversation the concepts of “fugitivity” (from Black liberatory practices), “anticipation” and “radical futurity” (from the field of Future Studies in education), and the notion of “dread” as a political affect/emotion (from the recent affective turn in the social sciences and humanities). It is argued that the concept of “fugitive pedagogies of dread” enables students and educators to contest monolithic understandings of “dreadful” visions of futures and reframe dread as a contingent and transformative possibility. The paper concludes by discussing the pedagogical and theoretical implications of this concept for scholars and educators in the fields of education, pedagogy and cultural studies.

Keywords:

• Fugitive pedagogies
• dread
• affects/emotions
• radical futurity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michalinos Zembylas

Michalinos Zembylas is Professor of Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies at the Open University of Cyprus, Honorary Professor at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. He holds a Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Chair for 2023-2026. He has written extensively on emotion and affect in relation to social justice pedagogies, intercultural and peace education, human rights education and citizenship education.