If this is indoctrination, we are all indoctrinated

Armstrong, L. (2022) If this is indoctrination, we are all indoctrinated. Theory and Research in Education, 20(3), pp. 272-288. (doi: 10.1177/14778785221143770)

Abstract

When thinking about moral education, a concern of liberals is that such education ought not to be indoctrinatory. There are various definitions of indoctrination, but a common theme is that indoctrination prevents us from critically assessing our own beliefs. Indoctrinatory education, then, teaches a doctrine in such a way that students will not countenance any alternative doctrines. A state which forced its citizens to endorse a doctrine in this way would not be a liberal state. However, if indoctrination consists in an inability to critically assess our own beliefs, I argue that we are all partly indoctrinated. Evidence drawn from neuroscience and psychology suggests that the basis of our beliefs lies in emotion rather than reason, and there is no independent space from which we can critically assess our own belief systems. This is not to justify an explicit form of state indoctrination, in which the state forces beliefs upon us. Instead, it is to assess problems with how we understand indoctrination within education. There is no entirely adequate solution to these problems, though education aimed at open-mindedness offers the most promise.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Armstrong, Dr Luke
• Authors: Armstrong, L.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Theory and Research in Education
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 1477-8785
• ISSN (Online): 1741-3192
• Published Online: 09 December 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Author
• First Published: First published in Theory and Research in Education 20(3): 272-288
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
190423		ESRC Doctoral Training Centre 2011...	Mary Beth Kneafsey	Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)	ES/J500136/1	Research and Innovation Services