Not for the Human, but for the Profit – Literary Education at Risk Cover Image
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Не заради човека, а заради ползата – литературното образование в риск
Not for the Human, but for the Profit – Literary Education at Risk

Author(s): Natalia Hristova
Subject(s): Philosophy, Social Sciences, Literary Texts, Education, Anthology, Aesthetics, Political Philosophy, Social Philosophy, School education, Vocational Education, Adult Education, Inclusive Education / Inclusion, Pedagogy
Published by: Национално издателство за образование и наука „Аз-буки“
Keywords: literature; reading; education; economic logic; egotism; empathy

Summary/Abstract: Drawing on the research of Martha Nussbaum, the article focuses on the “devastating” crisis experienced by modern education systems entailing their consistent subordination to the dominant economic logic and the resulting neglect of the literature and humanities in the school curricula. According to Nussbaum, should this trend continue to prevail, very soon the education systems will be simply producing generations of efficient machines incapable of human empathy and devoid of any critical reflection. Literary education, Nussbaum emphasizes, can not only help cultivate empathy and humane attitude towards the other, but also become one of the main factors in developing these traits. Stimulating the active emotions and imagination of the children, literature encourages them to think about others, about strangers with whom their real life experience will not give them the opportunity to meet. Reading literature helps one to build an inner intuition for the common human vulnerability, and thus counteracts the temptation to respond to human imperfections and weakness by pursuing total control.

  • Issue Year: 64/2022
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 380 -391
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Bulgarian