Taking credit for stupidity: On being a student in the performative university
(2023) In Management Learning- Abstract
- Stupidity is generally thought of as a hindrance to learning: an epistemic vice that stands in the way of knowledge and understanding. In this article, I challenge this idea by exploring some of the meanings of stupidity that place it in a positive relation to learning. In this light, the article discusses two notions of stupidity: stupidity as unfinished thought and stupefaction through study. I show how these forms of stupidity, rather than indicating a lack of learning, can be considered as a crucial part of the learning process. These types of desirable stupidity have come under increasing threat in academic cultures that are dominated by performance criteria. On the basis of this analysis, the article argues for the importance of... (More)
- Stupidity is generally thought of as a hindrance to learning: an epistemic vice that stands in the way of knowledge and understanding. In this article, I challenge this idea by exploring some of the meanings of stupidity that place it in a positive relation to learning. In this light, the article discusses two notions of stupidity: stupidity as unfinished thought and stupefaction through study. I show how these forms of stupidity, rather than indicating a lack of learning, can be considered as a crucial part of the learning process. These types of desirable stupidity have come under increasing threat in academic cultures that are dominated by performance criteria. On the basis of this analysis, the article argues for the importance of academic practices that make room for these positive forms of stupidity and thereby facilitate what it means to be a student. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4371843c-ba66-4a66-a136-faedd37f5c8e
- author
- Spoelstra, Sverre LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- in
- Management Learning
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85166571729
- ISSN
- 1350-5076
- DOI
- 10.1177/13505076231188056
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4371843c-ba66-4a66-a136-faedd37f5c8e
- date added to LUP
- 2023-07-29 20:15:02
- date last changed
- 2023-08-21 04:01:40
@article{4371843c-ba66-4a66-a136-faedd37f5c8e, abstract = {{Stupidity is generally thought of as a hindrance to learning: an epistemic vice that stands in the way of knowledge and understanding. In this article, I challenge this idea by exploring some of the meanings of stupidity that place it in a positive relation to learning. In this light, the article discusses two notions of stupidity: stupidity as unfinished thought and stupefaction through study. I show how these forms of stupidity, rather than indicating a lack of learning, can be considered as a crucial part of the learning process. These types of desirable stupidity have come under increasing threat in academic cultures that are dominated by performance criteria. On the basis of this analysis, the article argues for the importance of academic practices that make room for these positive forms of stupidity and thereby facilitate what it means to be a student.}}, author = {{Spoelstra, Sverre}}, issn = {{1350-5076}}, language = {{eng}}, publisher = {{SAGE Publications}}, series = {{Management Learning}}, title = {{Taking credit for stupidity: On being a student in the performative university}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13505076231188056}}, doi = {{10.1177/13505076231188056}}, year = {{2023}}, }