Contemplation as educational activism within communication studies

Abstract

Critical reflection, contemplation, and inner transformation are vitally important for Canadian communication studies, particularly with regard to issues of pedagogy. To address this concern, this article brings the field of contemplative education into conversation with communication studies. Contemplative education is a small but growing field within the academy that deals with issues of inner meaning and purpose. The article provides examples of how these two fields can have meaningful interactions and is a call for more scholars and instructors in communication studies to explore contemplative education's potentially transformative applications. Ultimately, contemplative education can be seen as a form of educational activism within Canadian communication studies, linking the robust critical tradition of the field with a much-needed focus on inner transformation and deeply personal forms of learning.