Philosophy, Praxis, and Reasonable Hope: A Conversation with John P. Portelli

Abstract

This conversation with John P. Portelli explores the ethical, political, and existential dimensions of education through the intertwined themes of hidden curriculum, democratic life, teacher formation, literature, praxis, and reasonable hope. Drawing on Portelli’s long-standing contributions to philosophy of education, curriculum studies, social justice, and critical democratic pedagogy, the interview examines how education can resist reductive tendencies such as standardization, deficit thinking, technicism, and the ideology of “best practices.” Portelli reflects on his own educational formation, the moral significance of exposing hidden curricula, the possibility of ethically justified subversion, and the need to understand pedagogical judgment as relational rather than relative. The conversation also foregrounds the role of literature, art, humor, and existential reflection in teacher education, challenging the reduction of teaching to technical competence. By emphasizing that “the practical is not the same as the ethical” and that educators “cannot give up reasonable hope,” Portelli presents philosophy of education as a lived, dialogical, and transformative practice. The interview contributes to contemporary discussions on philosophy of education by reaffirming the inseparability of thought and action, theory and practice, and critique and hope.