Studying the Concept of Love in Language Education:
a review of studies within the critical approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/2237-4876.2022v25n2p24Keywords:
Love, Critical Approach, Language EducationAbstract
Love is a universal emotion and phenomenon. Despite its importance, this concept has not
been the focus of studies in language education, with a few exceptions. This reticence and
uneasiness in researching love in academia and in education is considered to be related to
misconceptions about love that equate it only to intimate relationships and family matters
(PATIENCE, 2008), as well as exclusively to romantic love (VINCENT, 2010). In this paper,
I review some international studies that have focused on the concept of love in education
from a critical perspective. In order to do that, I first review the crisis we are living today,
which makes it ever more important to talk about love. Next, I discuss six studies which
investigated the concept of love within the critical approach (in the North American
context). I conclude suggesting reflections and implications for practice and summarizing
the main elements of a critical revolutionary love approach to language teacher education
and language learning and teaching.
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