Butterfly libertarian practice - anarchist contributions to teaching

Abstract

Anarchists have developed diverse strategies, attempting to systematize their conceptions of education at different points in history, with varying degrees of divergence and convergence. Unraveling some clues about the abundant field of libertarian practice in this area, focusing on teaching, is the objective of this essay, where we will explore what could be understood as the "butterflying" gesture as an ethical attitude of teachers toward the educational task. "Butterflying" is a concept that emerged with Fourier and was developed at various points in anarchist thought, whether by Faure, Ferrer Guardia, Pelloutier, the Soares sisters, Pinho, Scherer, or Gallo; is a state of constant mutation and continuous variation of forms, which cannot be captured by methodologies based on dogma, science, or any other rigid parameter. It should be noted, in general terms, that education and work have been associated in anarchist practices throughout history, and this warrants reflection. We will outline some of the most important anarchist experiences in education, to encounter the thinking of Scherer and Gallo, and a possible libertarian practice of butterflies.