Hostile Scaffolding
Ryan Timms, David Spurrett,
PhilPapers,
Nov 22, 2021
A subject that has come up a few times here is the idea of education (properly so-called) as perpetuating existing systems of power and control. This paper described a mechanism for this: hostile scaffolding. "This is scaffolding which depends on the same capacities of an agent to rely on external structure, but that undermines or exploits that agent while serving the interests of another." And like the author, I think that the possibility (if not the actuality) of hostile scaffolding is inherent in the concept of scaffolding, and may indeed be inescapable. In any case, this paper offers an extended discussion of the concept, drawing from examples such as electronic gambling machines and aspects of casino management and including 'affective scaffolding' in workplaces where "a kind of 'mind invasion' when it sculpts behaviour and norms in ways that are detrimental to the interests of employees."
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