Pastoral techniques in the modern Danish educational system

Abstract

In recent years, therapeutic techniques have played an increasingly significant role in Danish educational thinking. One way in which this therapeutic thinking discloses itself is in the ever‐growing use of educational‐therapeutic games as part of the educational practice. Inspired by Foucault, we argue that educational‐therapeutic games can be understood as a kind of confessional practice that introduces a pastoral power relationship between pupils and teachers. This paper offers an empirically based analysis of one of the frequently used therapeutic‐educational games in Denmark, called ‘The Good Chair’. In general, the technique of ‘The Good Chair’ establishes a type of interaction that is characterized by a sense of togetherness, intimacy, and an instrumentality‐problem orientation. The structure and regulation of the game cast the child as a psychological being by uncovering the child’s true inner nature.

Keywords:

• educational games
• Foucault
• education

Notes

1. The numbers refer to the numbers in Table 1.