Wuwei, self-organization, and classroom dynamics

Abstract

This article juxtaposes the notion of wuwei in Daoism and philosophical principles of self-organization in systems theory to re-imagine classroom dynamics in which pedagogical relationships, students’ interactions with texts, and peer interplay come together to enable an open system of education, learning, and growth. Wuwei is a way of governing and leadership, while self-organization is the emergence of new structures at the global level as a result of local interactions. The combination of top-down and bottom-up processes contributes to create a dynamic classroom. The contemporary Neo-Daoists’ concerns with creating conditions for wuwei to happen can be addressed by principles of self-organization, while wuwei provides a philosophical underpinning that is informative to systems theories. This article first introduces the Daoist notion of wuwei, then articulate important principles of self-organization theory, and further juxtapose the two in both resonance and dissonance in four aspects: the role of change, the role of diversity, the role of the individual person, and the role of the teacher’s wuwei leadership in the self-organizing classroom. In the last section, the article discusses how to shift classroom dynamics toward emergent, relational, and creative pathways, including creating conditions for self-organization and wuwei to happen in the classroom.

Keywords:

• Daoism
• complexity theory
• classroom dynamics
• pedagogical conditions

Notes

1 Dao De Jing has often been translated as Tao Te Ching. Now Western works mostly adopt the Mainland Chinese version of pinyin translation. Laozi is also used interchangeably with Dao De Jing. There are historical debates about who Laozi or Zhuangzi were or even whether they existed. This article refers to Laozi and Zhuangzi as authors of these two texts, following the common Chinese usage.

2 All the translation in this article, unless specifically indicated, are the author’s own translations. For the Chinese version of classical works, Dao De Jing and Zhuangai, see Chen & Fu (1994) and Zhang (1990).

3 The global level in a self-organization system also, in turn, impacts the local level; wuwei also implies a particular form of peer relationship. The contrast between the two as ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ is not complete but only suggestive. But the emphasis on the leader in Daoism and the emphasis on local interactions in self-organization are clear.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hongyu Wang

Hongyu Wang is a professor in Curriculum Studies at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA. Her teaching and research areas include curriculum theory, nonviolence education, East/West inquiry, psychoanalysis and education, and college curriculum and teaching. She has published books and articles both in English and Chinese, including From the Parade Child to the King of Chaos: The Complex Journey of William Doll, Teacher Educator (2016), Nonviolence and Education: Cross-Cultural Pathways (2014), The Call from the Stranger on a Journey Home: Curriculum in a Third Space (2004), and Eastern Thought, Educational Insights (co-edited with Claudia Eppert, 2008; AESA Critics’ Choice Book Award, 2009; AERA Outstanding Book Recognition, 2010).