Democratic education in the post-democratic turn: Disenchantment with democracy and the pedagogical potential of ugly and negative feelings

Abstract

In bringing together the literature on post-democracy and theoretical work on the politics of affective societies, this article explores how democratic education might benefit from a sustained examination of negative emotions and affects associated with democratic disenchantment. In particular, the analysis highlights what is gained by introducing a more pedagogically and politically robust approach toward ‘ugly’ and ‘negative’ feelings in the context of democratic education in schools, namely, a pedagogical approach that recognizes the gloomy ramifications of post-democracy in the daily life of teachers and young people and inspires transformative action that contributes toward practical ‘democratic innovations’ in the sphere of civil society. This article contributes toward ongoing efforts for the renewal of democratic education in schools by urging teachers and researchers to rethink pedagogically how to navigate productively the ugly and negative feelings of democratic disenchantment.