Contrary to what the title of his book The Postmodern Explained to Children (1986) suggests , Jean ‑ François Lyotard’s thinking is not the most accessible, a fortiori for our dear blond heads. A philosopher commonly associated with the motley and questionable movement that is French theory , he seems to have been eclipsed within it by the thoughts of Foucault, Deleuze or Derrida, whose […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Philosophy: how Lyotard transforms our view of childhood
The benefits of onsite services in supportive housing
In recent years, permanent supportive housing managed by both public housing authorities and independent nonprofits has been the single most effective mechanism for cities to help a growing population of individuals who are chronically homeless. To be considered chronically homeless under the federal definition, an individual must be continuously homeless and living in a shelter […] … learn more→
Almost half of US teens who date experience stalking and harassment
Falling in love for the first time can be a thrill, and teen dating is important to adolescent development. But according to the results of a study that my research team recently conducted, these early forays into romance often veer into unhealthy territory. As many as 48% of 12- to 18-year-olds who describe themselves as having had […] … learn more→
How women react to sexism
Every day, women are subjected to sexist remarks and behaviors: sexist harassment in the public space, sexist remarks at work, unwanted sexual invitations … No area is spared, no place. Launched in 2017 to collect testimonials from students, doctoral students and young researchers, the “Paye ta fac” site had shown that the academic world was no exception. Faced […] … learn more→
Why youth activism has passed China by
Around the world, young people are emerging as trailblazers for social change. Youth activism has ranged from Malala Yousafzai’s fight for girls’ right to education to Greta Thunberg’s mobilisation of youth climate action, the Hong Kong youth protests in 2019 and even the TikTok movement which led to organisers of a Trump rally expecting far more attendees than actually appeared. However, there […] … learn more→
9 tips teachers can use when talking about racism
As Black Lives Matter protests rage across the world, many of us are motivated to learn more about racism, and talk to our students and children in ways that can facilitate change. Education is a powerful took for creating change. So, it’s important teachers don’t shy away from difficult conversations in the classroom, even if […] … learn more→
The good-guy image police present to students often clashes with students’ reality
Eight days after George Floyd was killed during an encounter with Minneapolis police in an incident that sparked protests around the world, Minneapolis Public Schools terminated its contract for the Minneapolis police to provide officers in schools. “I value people and education and life,” school board chairwoman Kim Ellison told a local newspaper. “Now I’m convinced, based on the actions of […] … learn more→
Why children need to be taught more about their human rights
Many children have an innate sense of equality, fairness and justice and know how these concepts relate to their day-to-day lives. A lot of children also have the confidence to voice their opinions when they feel a lack of justice. But unfortunately, this is not always that case – especially for children whose personal rights are violated […] … learn more→
There’s a history of white supremacists interpreting government leaders’ words as encouragement
White supremacist and militia organizations are exploiting the government’s chaotic response to the coronavirus for recruitment efforts. Whatever his intention, these groups interpret President Donald Trump’s tweets to “LIBERATE” states and calling armed protesters “very good people” as support for their cause. Recent research by the Tech Transparency Project into social media accounts of white supremacists, a nonprofit that researches “the […] … learn more→
Drawing a family tree with your child: what psychology says about it
Digital technologies have not returned genealogy to the obsolete leisure department, on the contrary. This practice is now experiencing a resurgence of interest to the point that specialized software is available to carry out its family tree and that we speak of “geneanauts”, to designate those who navigate on the web in search of traces of […] … learn more→
