Let education theory go feral : four futures for education's non/human others

Abstract

In Futures Studies, there is never only one single future to be addressed and explored, but several. These different futures can, to varying degrees and to various stakeholders, be possible, probable, and/or desirable. The present paper draws on these foundational ideas from the field of Futures Studies by sketching four possible futures, or development orientations, for education theory. These futures are all “posthuman” insofar as they aid education in rethinking itself by embracing elements it may otherwise ignore, negate or abject. Two overarching questions are approached: What purposes of education may these theoretical futures enable or disable, and what is the role of the critic in them?