Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

may feel strange to have the politics of disaster
It
and, for example, the politics of pockets
relief
women’s clothing on the same spectrum.
on
or not everything is political, it is still
Whether
to pay attention to what is being
necessary
or depoliticized, by whom and for
politicized,
this all sounds too much, you may wonder:
If
politics be avoided? Or is the very idea that
can
can opt in or out of politics a question of
you
Political decisions affect the realities of
privilege?
differently based on their relative power.
people
what it means to have the ability to
Consider
from politics, or to be cushioned
disengage
the consequences of political decisions. Do
from
have a responsibility to be informed and
you
about politics, including the
knowledgeable
brings us on to knowledge. Politics
This
human life and so knowledge,
permeates
a human enterprise, will have a political
being
as well. This is why we grapple
dimension
issues of power and justice in the realm
with
Part of what makes TOK
ofknowledge.
is that the answers to questions about
exciting
contestable. In comparison,
knowledgeare
are many educational programmes and
there
around the world in which knowledge
systems
not contestable. What does that say about the
is
of the TOK course and the IB Diploma
politics
Consider this question in the
Programme?
of the next discussionactivity.
context
political lens on knowledge draws our
A
to when and why we give authority
attention
some forms of knowledge and not others.
to
engages us with whether, and how, we
It
some ways of knowing and not others.
privilege
political lens also makes visible the power
A
this in mind, let’s consider the politics
With
knowledge in education, one of the main
of
for disseminating knowledge. Think
institutions
the kind of knowledge institution that
about
your school, the knowledge community of
is
Diploma Programme teachers and students
IB
and the knowledge system within
worldwide
the IBsits.
which
terms: presentation
Search
of ibo
history
this presentation on
Consider
history of the International
the
outlining the key influences on
Baccalaureate,
educational model and approach.
its
As a result of the ideas on which the IB
1.
founded, what are some explicit and
was
assumptions about knowledge in
implicit
IB education?
an
Given its history, what knowledge
2.
are omitted or
traditions
What are the implications of exporting
3.
IB as a “better” educational model
the
places around the world that have
to
traditions that are not
knowledge
we move on, continue to reflect critically on
As
knowledge you are encountering at school
the
in the world. It is a practice that will serve
and
well beyond the IB Diploma Programme. No
you
there are gaps in the curriculum, as well
doubt
in this book. You are invited to notice them,
as
how they might arise and consider
understand
it would take to address them. Think about
what
power and politics affect which perspectives
how
emphasized, marginalized or absent, in
are
classroom and in a global, international
your
curriculum.
I. Scope
I. Scope
what reason.
Practising skills: Identifying
assumptions and drawing implications
kinds of issues that do not affectyou?
underrepresented in the IB?
reflected in the IB?
relations at play in knowledge communities.
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