Narrative, Learning and Critical Pedagogy ― Learning and Critical Pedagogy

Ivor Goodson and Scherto Gill analyse and discuss a series of trans-disciplinary case studies from diverse cultures and argue that narrative is not only a rich and profound way for humans to make sense of their lives, but also in itself a process of pedagogical encounter, learning and transformation. As pedagogic sites, life narratives allow the individual to critically examine their ‘scripts’ for learning which are encapsulated in their thought processes, discourses, beliefs and values. Goodson and Gill show how narratives can help educators and students shift from a disenfranchised tradition to one of empowerment.


This unique book brings together case studies of life narratives as an approach to learning and meaning-making in different disciplines and cultural settings, including teacher education, adult learning, (auto)biographicalwriting, psychotherapy, intercultural learning and community development. Educators, researchers and practitioners from diverse disciplines will find the case studies collected in this book helpful in expanding their understanding of the potential of narrative as a phenomenon, as methodology, and as pedagogy.

Ivor Goodson is Professor of Learning Theory at the Education Research Centre, University of Brighton. He also holds the Joss Owen Professorship (Chair of Education) at the University of Plymouth. His recent books include: Narrative Learning; Investigating the Teacher's Life and Work, and Professional Knowledge, Professional Lives.




Dr Scherto Gill is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Sussex's Department of Education. She convenes, teaches and tutors the Person-Centred Education programme as part of the MA in Education Studies. Her teaching is about supporting students in exploring their own journeys of learning and research inquiry and helping them to become confident educational researchers and practitioners.