The "Willful Contradiction" of Poststructural Socio-ecological Education

Abstract

Many feminists have written about working within a tension between poststructuralist theories and activist work based on more "modern" imperatives associated with "taking a stand" against oppression. These discussions of a praxis of "willful contradiction" are helpful in thinking about the theoretical bases of poststructural approaches to socioecological education, and implications for pedagogy which involves working within/beyond the "theoretic fictions" that comprise our lives. This article explores this terrain, concluding by connecting with previous work in environmental education and related areas of curriculum theorizing, and making recommendations for further investigation of the "willful contradiction" of poststructural socio-ecological education.