Responsibility towards Diversity. An Educational Proposal for the Enhancement of Democracy: the Intercultural Relevance of Lipman's "Philosophy for Children/Community"

My proposal draws inspiration from my philosophical research on the idea of responsibility and from my teaching experience. As for the latter, from October 2010 to February 2012 I have been engaged as a researcher and teacher in the project funded by the EU, Regione Toscana and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa “La scuola di tutti. Pluralismo, intercultura, inclusione, diritti” [Everybody’s school. Pluralism, interculturality, inclusion, rights]. My “pupils” were primary and middle school teachers, who wished not only to achieve theoretical understanding, but also to learn how to successfully handle problems and conflicts arising in multicultural environments. For this reason, I proposed to discuss intercultural issues using interactive methodologies, such as Matthew Lipman’s “Philosophy for Children/Community” (P4C). This experience gave me the chance to reflect on the sense of practicing philosophy both with adults and children, and to enquire into its relevance for the achievement of the following aims: a) recognizing, overcoming and deconstructing stereotypes and prejudice; b) achieving reflectivity as citizens and practitioners; c) recognizing, appreciating and supporting diversities; d) enhancing individual and social responsibility, sensitivity to diversity and democratic values. In my paper I will endeavour to touch upon and analyse these issues from both a practical and theoretical point of view. I will focus on the notions of responsibility, diversity, and democracy, and I will refer to scholars such as John Dewey, Hans Jonas, Matthew Lipman, Donald Schön, and Martha Nussbaum. I will also try to compare these philosophical reflections with the overall context of intercultural pedagogy.