Phenomenological Orientation as a Philosophical Entrance in Education, Research, and Social Change: An Elaboration Using the Concept of Embodiment
Hybrid from 05 – 11 April 2027, Valletta, University of Malta
This offering invites educators and researchers to embrace phenomenological methods as a means of accessing deeper truths about human experience and enacting meaningful change in the world. Through a focus on embodiment, we can begin to reimagine education, research, and social justice in ways that are more inclusive, human-centered, and responsive to the lived realities of individuals.
Introduction
Phenomenology, as a philosophical approach, has increasingly been recognized for its potential to reshape how we understand and engage with education, research, and social change. Rooted in the works of thinkers like Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and others, phenomenology emphasizes direct experience and subjective meaning making as essential aspects of human life. By focusing on lived experience,
phenomenology calls attention to the ways in which individuals engage with the world around them, transcending purely intellectual or abstract forms of knowledge. In this offering, we explore phenomenological orientation as a key philosophical entrance into educational theory, research methodology, and social transformation, with a particular focus on the concept of embodiment.
Phenomenology as an Educational Approach
In the realm of education, phenomenology offers a transformative lens through which to understand learning. Traditional educational models often prioritize cognitive development, abstract knowledge, and standardized measures of achievement. In contrast, a phenomenological orientation in education invites us to reconsider how knowledge is experienced and embodied in the learner’s life.
By emphasizing the lived experiences of students and educators, phenomenology encourages us to consider the ways in which individuals engage with the world through their senses, emotions, and personal histories. Phenomenology challenges educational practices to be more attuned to the diverse, embodied ways in which people experience learning. This approach fosters an educational environment that is responsive to the whole
person—intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Moreover, it acknowledges that meaning is co-constructed through the interactions between learners and their environments.
Embodiment and Education
The concept of embodiment is central to the phenomenological approach in education. Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s notion of the body as a”lived body” highlights that our perception of the world is not a passive reception of external stimuli but an active, embodied engagement with the world. Learning is, therefore, not only a cognitive activity but also a deeply sensory, emotional, and bodily experience. In the classroom, this means that educational methods should be designed not merely to convey information but to engage the whole student: their body, senses, emotions, and lived experiences.
Incorporating embodiment into education might include practices that encourage physical engagement with material (e.g., hands-on learning, movement-based activities, or experiential learning opportunities). It could also lead to a more inclusive pedagogy, where diverse forms of knowledge—those tied to different bodies, experiences, and perspectives—are acknowledged and valued.
Phenomenology in Research
Phenomenology has significant implications for qualitative research methods, particularly in areas that seek to understand human experiences, such as education, psychology, and social sciences. In phenomenological research, the focus is on uncovering the essential structures of lived experience, seeking to understand how individuals perceive and make sense of their world. This involves deep engagement with participants’ subjective
experiences, moving beyond external, objective measures of reality to explore meaning from the perspective of those experiencing it.
Embodiment and Phenomenological Research
When phenomenology is applied to research, particularly through an embodied lens, the body is recognized as both a site of knowledge and a means of engaging with the world. Researchers working within a phenomenological framework might explore how embodied experiences shape people’s understanding of themselves, their relationships, and their social realities. The role of embodiment in this research is to challenge the Cartesian separation between mind and body, recognizing that thought, perception, and action are intertwined in the lived experience. For instance, embodied methods in research might include participatory activities, embodied storytelling, or arts-based approaches, all of which engage the whole person and illuminate the ways that knowledge is felt and experienced in the body.
This shift from a purely cognitive view of knowledge to an embodied one opens up new avenues for understanding how experiences of social behaviors and ability are lived and enacted through the body, as well as how bodies are impacted by broader social structures and systems.
Social Change Through a Phenomenological and Embodied Lens
The potential for phenomenology to contribute to social change lies in its capacity to reveal the lived experiences of individuals and communities often marginalized or silenced in dominant societal narratives. By centering lived experience, phenomenology opens up the possibility of social change that is grounded in the everyday realities and embodied experiences of those who are most affected by systemic inequalities.
In the context of social change, embodiment plays a crucial role in understanding power, resistance, and transformation. Phenomenology enables a deeper engagement with those embodied experiences, facilitating a more profound understanding of the impacts of social structures on individuals’ lives.
Through phenomenology, we can foster a more empathetic and holistic approach to social change—one that does not merely focus on theories or ideologies but that begins with the lived, embodied realities of individuals and communities and provides insights into how bodies are marked, lived in, and politicized within specific cultural contexts.
Embodying Phenomenology for a More Inclusive Future
Phenomenology, with its emphasis on lived experience, offers a powerful tool for transforming education, research, and social change. By incorporating embodiment into these domains, phenomenology shifts the focus from abstract theorization to a deep engagement with the body, sensation, and perception, acknowledging that knowledge is not just something we think but something we live. As such, phenomenological orientation calls for a more inclusive, experiential, and empathetic approach to the ways we learn, study, and enact social change.
By integrating the concept of embodiment into these spheres, phenomenology challenges us to consider how our bodies and lived experiences shape not only what we know but how we engage with the world—and ultimately, how we can change it.
Faculty
Together, they bring interdisciplinary expertise and international perspectives to guide participants through an intensive and engaging academic experience that bridges theory, philosophy, and critical inquiry.
Lecturer: TBA
General objective
Participants should be able to
• understand a phenomenological orientation as an epistemological approach
• to classify and understand phenomenological concepts (lived experience, body/embodiment,
world-relation)
• critically reflect on the concept of embodiment in education, research, and social change
• be able to relate phenomenological perspectives to their own research or practice
Fees
Tuition for EGS students (4 ECTS): 1080 CHF
Tuition for Auditors (no ECTS): 756 CHF
Lectures only: 300 CHF
Location
The Malta Spring Course will take place in hybrid format at the University of Malta, Valletta
Campus Room 6,St. Paul Street, Valletta.
Participants are responsible for their own accommodation within the city.
Travel in Malta:
Our program takes place in Malta, a country rich with history and home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city of Valletta houses over 300 historic monuments, making it “one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world” (UNESCO, 2024).
Learn more about traveling in Malta here.