“The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…”: Reflecting on the critical pedagogy and mentorship of Dr. Bruce A. Arrigo
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2023
Department/School
Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
Publication Title
Bruce Arrigo
Abstract
Dr. Bruce A. Arrigo is a highly prolific, internationally acclaimed, and award winning researcher and scholar in the areas of sociology/criminology, psychology/psychiatry, law/legal studies, ethics/moral inquiry, and social/public policy. His academic productivity is mirrored by his unyielding devotion and support to his students, colleagues, family, and the larger community. It takes a unique person to not only be prolific in one’s own personal scholarly work, but also to leave a meaningful impact in the lives of aspiring students through teaching and mentorship. Mentorship is not merely providing a source for ephemeral advice or encouragement from time to time. Instead, it is a focused commitment to envisioning the potential in students, fostering their strengths, counseling them through the processes of professional socialization, facilitating their intellectual growth, and cultivating relationships built on a foundation of mutual respect. This chapter will elaborate on how Bruce’s critical pedagogical style is unique and serves as a paradigm by which other scholars may learn to better engage students in critical thought, intelligent debate, creative problem solving, and professional mentoring. His pedagogical techniques that support democratic ideals and embrace liberatory concepts of dialogue, contradiction, counter hegemony, and praxis will be elucidated. Next, the chapter will highlight Arrigo’s approach to mentoring with specific examples of how our research collaborations model empowering forms of human interaction geared toward the intellectual and personal growth for his mentees as they collectively engage the bricolage. Finally, insights from these personal reflections will identify implications for meaningful transpraxis and ongoing academic activism.
Recommended Citation
Sellers, B. G. (2023). “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse…”: Reflecting on the critical pedagogy and mentorship of Dr. Bruce A. Arrigo. In D. Polizzi (Ed.), Bruce Arrigo (pp. 45–61). Springer International. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28299-7_3
Comments
B. G. Sellers is a faculty member in EMU's Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology.