When learning becomes a fetish: the pledge, turn and prestige of magic tricks

It is our contention that the process of higher education could be read as a commodity and in both Marxian and Freudian assumptions, a fetish. Instrumental in this discussion are; Marx’s theorising of the commodity fetish (1867) that deceives by conflating the distinction between use and exchange value, and Freud’s (1927) re-visiting of his theory of fetishism, where he considers the fetish in the context of dealing with separation and loss in everyday life. This paper highlights how the consequence of fetishised behaviour has led to violent outcomes, such as the policy decision to introduce a ‘Teaching Excellence Framework’ (TEF). We argue that the TEF may bring about the death of learning in HE and diminish the role of academic staff. Nevertheless, influenced by Winnicott, Cixous and Biesta, we offer a more hopeful ‘Teaching that is Good Enough Framework’

On the notion of home and the goals of palliative care

The notion of home is well known from our everyday experience, and plays a crucial role in all kinds of narratives about human life, but is hardly ever systematically dealt with in the philosophy of medicine and health care. This paper is based upon the intuitively positive connotation of the term “home.” By metaphorically describing the goal of palliative care as “the patient’s coming home,” it wants to contribute to a medical humanities approach of medicine. It is argued that this metaphor can enrich our understanding of the goals of palliative care and its proper objectives. Four interpretations of “home” and “coming home” are explored: (1) one’s own house or homelike environment, (2) one’s own body, (3) the psychosocial environment, and (4) the spiritual dimension, in particular, the origin of human existence. Thinking in terms of coming home implies a normative point of view. It represents central human values and refers not only to the medical-technical and care aspects of health care, but also to the moral context

O que pode um corpo? O método Angel Vianna de conscientização do movimento como um instrumento terapêutico What can a body do? The Angel Vianna method of awareness of movement as a therapeutic instrument

Contrapondo-se à educação tradicional da dança, quando esta trabalhava corpo e movimento padronizados, o método Angel Vianna de Conscientização do Movimento começou a ser desenvolvido no ensino do balé clássico - e posteriormente da expressão corporal - que considerasse o corpo e o movimento na sua singularidade. Esse modo original e autêntico de lidar com o corpo acabou direcionando a Conscientização do Movimento para uma utilidade também terapêutica, sendo aplicada em diversas áreas de atuação no campo da saúde. Porém, apesar de a Conscientização do Movimento ter demonstrado consistência e eficácia, sua aplicação terapêutica ainda se dá na primazia da experiência, carecendo de uma formalização dos fundamentos teórico-conceituais que a sustente enquanto método de trabalho terapêutico para a área da saúde. O objetivo principal deste artigo foi propor uma possível formalização dos fundamentos teórico-conceituais que orientam a Conscientização do Movimento no campo da saúde. A pesquisa parte de nossa própria experiência, além da utilização do método filosófico-conceitual que nos permite desconstruir crenças cristalizadas e propor uma concepção mais ampliada do processo saúde-doença. Consideramos que uma terapêutica como o método Angel Vianna de Conscientização do Movimento pode, via corpo, contribuir para a integração do psicossoma, ampliando a saúde do indivíduo enquanto capacidade normativa e criativa. Entretanto, mesmo sendo uma prática corporal que se faz potente em vários âmbitos por sua própria experiência, percebemos que o fato de ser formalizada sem cair em reducionismos ou cristalizações pôde trazer ainda mais vitalidade à sua aplicação terapêutica.<br>In contrast with the traditional dance teaching, in which dance held together standardized body and movement, the Angel Vianna method of Awareness of Movement began its development for the teaching of classical ballet - and afterwards of body expression - that considered body and movement in its singularity. This original and authentic method of dealing with the body turned the Awareness of Movement also useful from a therapeutic viewpoint, applied to several areas in the health field. However, despite the fact that over the years the Awareness of Movement showed consistency and efficacy, its therapeutic application still occurs only through experience, lacking formalization of the theoretical-conceptual foundations that could give support to it as a therapeutic method in the health area. So our main objective in this paper was to propose a possible formalization of the theoretical-conceptual foundations that guide the Awareness of Movement in the health field. The research starts with our own experience, and uses the philosophical-conceptual method that allows us to demolish crystallized beliefs and propose a broader conception of the process health-illness. We believe that a therapeutic like the Angel Vianna method of Awareness of Movement can, through the body, help integrate the psycho-soma, amplifying the individual's health in its normative and creative capacity. Although this method is a body practice that makes itself powerful in several aspects from its own experience, we found that its formalization, without falling in reductionisms or crystallizations, could bring an even greater vitality to its therapeutic application