On confessional dialogue and collective subjects

• The concept of dialogue as an ideal for face-to face relationships in education has a long history in Western societies. Dialogue, however, does not only opeate in face-to-face relationships but also between collective subjects such as national states. The focus of this chapter is to discuss the operation of dialogue as a governmental practice in the construction of the contemporary European Higher Educational Area (EHEA) as a transnational political space. In this context the Bologna Process, as an expression of the rationalities of Open Method of Coordination, operates as a goal directed machinery or, as we prefer to call it, as a dialogic dispositive for the governmentalisation of Europe as a transnational political space. Dialogue operates as a means to reaching a form of unity in diversity considered inevitable if the hope for a future Europe with smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and with high levels of employment and social cohesion is to be realised. Consequently, a theme of salvation is inscribed into this hope for the future.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

confession

dialogue

open method rationality

unity bu diversity

hope and fear

Bologna process

governmantalization of Europe

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kap (subject category)