Emotions, learning, and democracy: Reviving the spirit of education

When a father becomes a gambler and his obligation to his family takes the secondary place in his mind, he is no longer a man, but an automation led by the power of greed.

- SAUMYA LIYANAGE

(Excerpts of the keynote address at Annual Sessions at the Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Empowering Minds: Education for New Era.)

As I am coming from the Humanities and Social Sciences and Performance studies disciplines, I have a close affinity with education and education philosophy. I have also been engaged in the current debate on higher education, writing and presenting my ideas with the academia and the public domains. I have been motivated by the illuminated scholars (Senanayake, 2021; Amarakeerthi, 2013; Uyangoda, 2017 & 2023; Rambukwella, 2024; Jayasinghe & Fernando 2023; & Jayasinhahe 2024) who have been continually discussing problems related to our education and the role of humanities and aesthetics within this sphere. Some of the recurrent themes I have raised in these writings are burning issues in our current education scenario. Among them, the indoctrination, decline of the arts and aesthetic education in our education sector, and the importance of creative arts in human development continue. Hence, in today’s speech, I will continue this discussion and try to broaden the scope of it. The theme of today’s speech can be categorized in three areas of studies: emotion, education, and democracy. Where I am going to present today is the role of emotion in education and how this new paradigm of education could lead to the democratic establishments in society. This speech, I try to build a connection between three key areas of art and aesthetic education, its vital component of empathy, and how this empathic education supports democracy in the society. This argument will be further elaborated in the course of my talk.