Allegories of the present: curriculum development in a culture of narcissism and presentism

  • William F. . Pınar
Keywords: Allegories, analogy, curriculum development, narcissism, subjectivity

Abstract

Pinar recasts curriculum development and design from the sphere of the procedural – that is, principles and steps to follow regardless of the specificities of place and time – to ongoing forms of intellectual engagement with one’s distinctive situation, however complex and contested that situation is, however tragic one’s history, however conflicted the present might be. Such curriculum development requires a different set of concepts and practices from those many know take for granted, e.g. objectives to be implemented through curriculum design and teaching for the sake of assessment. Instead of objectives to be assessed, Pinar positions as primary the historical moment, situated as history is in national history and culture. In North America, this means includes articulating how the present becomes embodied in individual subjectivities, and how one might study both through academic knowledge in complicated conversation with those in classrooms.

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How to Cite
. Pınar, W. (2011). Allegories of the present: curriculum development in a culture of narcissism and presentism. International Journal of Curriculum and Instructional Studies (IJOCIS), 1(2), 1-10.