Problems and Perspectives of a Theory of Transformational Processes of Bildung

Abstract

In this essay, Hans-Christoph Koller presents a concept of transformational processes of Bildung in an attempt to redefine the German notion of Bildung referring to actual social conditions of educational processes. According to this conception, Bildung is a transformation of world- and self-relations that can come about when subjects are confronted with problems for which they have no established routines of engagement. With reference to theories of Pierre Bourdieu, Bernhard Waldenfels, and Ulrich Oevermann, Koller looks for answers to three questions: (1) Which concepts and theories are able to adequately grasp the world- and self-relations of subjects going through processes of Bildung? (2) How can the problems that trigger processes of Bildung and that challenge subjects to transform be determined more precisely? (3) How exactly does the emergence of new figures of world- and self-relations take place when we “successfully” complete a process of Bildung? Finally, the essay concludes with an attempt to clarify the normative implications of this theory.