A New Citizenship: Philosophy as Educational and Cultural Practice

Philosophy is becoming an essential part of our lives. No longer banished to the realm of the philosopher and the intellectual elite, the ancient discipline has reemerged with renewed vitality in recent years and its popularity is increasing worldwide, even amongst children. So claim the organizers of the international conference, “Philosophy as Educational and Cultural Practice: A New Citizenship”, which took place at the UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, in November 2006.

Dr. Jen Glaser, a faculty member of the Mandel Leadership Institute was invited to speak at the conference. Dr. Glaser is a graduate of the Mandel Jerusalem Fellows program and co-directs the Israel Center of Philosophy for Children with Talya Birkhahn, a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership program.

The conference, organized by the French committee of “New Philosophical Practices”, was held on the 2006 UNESCO World Philosophy Day. It brought together teachers and academics to debate the need for philosophy as practice in the educational, cultural, social, and political fields. The aim of the conference was to present philosophy as an essential factor in daily life, as opposed to an activity reserved for social or intellectual elites.

This affirmation of the role philosophy plays both in society and in vision-driven institutions is expressed in the UNESCO 2006 position paper on the importance of philosophy to the organization's work. Their strategy on philosophy focuses on three areas: the promotion of dialogue and philosophical analysis of contemporary questions; encouragement of the teaching of philosophy; and promotion and dissemination of philosophical knowledge.

Why philosophy? UNESCO’s commitment to philosophy is derived from the organization's view of philosophical inquiry as a necessary condition for the maintenance of free and independent thought, and the understanding that vision-driven organizations need to engage in ongoing critical analysis of the concepts, norms and standards that inform their major programs.

Dr. Glaser’s panel address entitled: "Can Philosophical Inquiry in Schools Transform Society? Hopes and Expectations" began with a quote by Hannah Arendt:
"We are born into a world not of our making, and yet for which we, as educators, must assume responsibility". Dr. Glaser pointed out that Israel faces many societal issues arising from its history; problems for which educators need to assume responsibility in preparing children for the future.

She described a recent initiative entitled “Children Do Philosophy”, a program developed by the Israel Center for Philosophy for Children in partnership with the School of Education and the Philosophy Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This program was aimed at bringing philosophy into primary schools in Israel. The project, piloting this year, operates across educational sectors (Arab Israeli, secular, and religious) and emphasizes the development of classroom communities of philosophical inquiry, in which children deliberate together issues important to them.

Connecting this practice with the theoretical work of Hannah Arendt and political thought of Seyla Benhabib, Dr. Glaser discussed how the community of inquiry develops civic virtues that are necessary for justice-oriented deliberative democracy.

Dr. Glaser explored her hopes and expectations regarding the role such programs might play in preparing children to become active in building a more just society in Israel and  the  effect of such programs on the understanding of the conditions for transforming conflict into co-existence.