Affective Education: Foundations for an Educational Theory of Emotions in Historical-Cultural Psychology
Education, Emotions, Psychology, Vygotsky, Spinoza
This thesis proposes to discuss affective education as the basis for an educational theory of emotions within Vygotsky's HistoricalCultural Psychology. The school environment is still underpinned by the Cartesian model in which emotion and reason are regarded as separate entities. Since reason is considered a prominent dimension in the educational context, there is no space for emotions. In general, in educational settings, emotions are not discussed, the emotional experiences of children and teachers are not heard, nor is teaching conducted with emotion. Emotions have been removed from the public sphere and relegated to the psychological clinic or have been domesticated within the psychiatric clinic. However, emotions are social relationships between people and, as a psychological process, are embedded in the entire relational framework of human beings. In the educational context, which is also considered a psychological process, it is inconceivable that emotions would not be structured as a systemic unit alongside cognitive processes. Considering the foregoing, this work is based on the thesis that emotions should occupy a central and structuring role in the practices and experiences of educational spaces, especially in schools. This means conceiving the central positioning of emotions—and consequently of experiences—as guiding axes for creating empowering human spaces. There is an urgent need for an experiential and emotional understanding of human beings as sources of life oriented toward an ethical dimension in the realm of affects. To further these discussions, the study of emotions in Vygotsky and Spinoza will be historically positioned, fostering dialogues in the construction of an educational foundation for affects.