Alka Arora
This paper articulates an educational framework termed integral feminist pedagogy, based on the author’s experience teaching in the Women’s Spirituality program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Integral feminist pedagogy unites the principles and practices of both the integral and feminist traditions. The strength of integral pedagogy lies in its focus on the inseparability of an individual’s mind, body, and spirit. However, integral pedagogy is often understood today in a way that divorces individuals from their social and political context. Feminist pedagogy, on the other hand, excels in raising students’ awareness of social and political context, but may neglect individuals’ psychospiritual realities. This paper argues that integrating the two traditions helps each better fulfill its vision of social transformation. In order to illuminate the core premises of integral feminist pedagogy, specific examples from classrooms in the Women’s Spirituality program are explored.
Tags: spirituality, social justice, diversity, feminism, Arora, integral education
