The Socratic method is generally not perceived as a pedagogy of the oppressed (ironic given that
Socrates was executed). It is viewed, rather, as the pedagogy of ancient Greek white males, and
therefore as a biased and culturally imperialistic method of teaching. By appealing to so-called
“universal”concerns about justice and the good life, the Socratic method seeks to crush identities
and subjective experiences in pursuit of“truths”that favor white, male, European privilege.
Therefore, Socratic pedagogy is rejected, but at a cost: rather than students critically engaging each
other’s positions, and perhaps learning from each other and modifying their own viewpoints, they
retreat into their identities, which are absolutist islands immune from external criticism, and
simultaneously ally themselves with other victimized identities. But“allyship”reaches a breaking
point when marginalized identities find they cannot be allied on certain issues–for example, a
Jewish lesbian feminist and a Muslim male of Arab descent may disagree about polygamy, sexual
orientation, or the State of Israel.^33 The Socratic professor thereby is caught in this relativistic sea of
identities and intersections, each demanding safety and absolute deference but not critical
engagement.
A delicate approach must be taken. The goal is to move a safe space mentality from a place of
vindictive protectiveness and self-righteous anger, to another place where the student is able to
discuss his experiences and opinions rationally, in dialog with others. Socratic reasoning, contrary
to how it is often perceived, is not just abstract cold logic; it is tied to lived-experience, including
victimization and injustice. Again, it is about establishing the right atmosphere in class. Hyman
provides this piece of advice:
The trick is to find a way to get [students] open and receptive rather than defensive:::I have
sometimes done things as earnest as walk around the room saying,“I am now creating a magic
circle inside this space. In here, we’re going to act with as much openness and curiosity as we
can, and give each other permission to think out loud.”That goes a long way.^34This specific technique may not suit everyone; other strategies can be used to set the right tone.
Regarding“trigger warnings,”it is probably reasonable to give a common-sense warning to
students if certain materials are particularly violent, sexual, grotesque, or racist, and for most this is
probably sufficient. If the university mandates trigger warnings on syllabi, the professor can use
these as a source of Socratic questioning: why trigger warnings? Are they necessary? Is it good to be
protected from ideas you do not like? From such questions, a thoughtful, carefully moderated
dialog can ensue.
The Socratic professor should be upfront about her approach at the start of a course: that she is
creating a“safe space”that permits students from different backgrounds and identities to
express their experiences and viewpoints without fear of harassment, but which also allows for
critical inquiry (not personal attacks) of those experiences and viewpoints. Furthermore, the
professor should also say that the Socratic approach used in the class isitself provisional, and
that it too can be subjected to critical inquiry. She is in no way attempting to demean students’
experiences or backgrounds, nor is she attempting to offend for“shock value.”Thehopeisthat
Socratic questioning can direct students from different identities to areas of shared concern, and
enter into a critically engaged pluralism rather than an uncritical, deferential allyship with
others. This previous sentence, however, is problematic from the standpoint of radical identity
politics, and might even be interpreted as a“micro aggression”–yet another imposition of a
Western male model of pedagogy on oppressed minorities and women. But as LeMoine argues
in her chapter“Is Socrates Culturally Imperialistic?”which appears in this volume, Socratic
education can flourish in pluralistic learning environments, and, indeed, the culturally diverse
classroom is the ideal setting for Socratic dialog. Though the method requires that interlocutors
follow the basic rules of discourse and reasoning, LeMoine argues it works within the logic of
The Socratic Method in Today’s University 145