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Hidden Curriculum: The Radical Youth Punk Pedagogy of Propagandhi, A Case Study 1992-2017

Abstract

The scholarly study of punk is a growing interdisciplinary field. Within that already specialized group, research into punk pedagogy is emerging as a vital component of punk scholarship. However, no study in punk pedagogy has narrowed its scope to any one influential punk band to determine what constitutes its punk pedagogy. This dissertation weaves diverse disciplines together to elucidate the hidden curriculum of the progressive Canadian punk band, Propagandhi.

An understanding of Propagandhi’s punk pedagogy is formulated through textual analysis of the band’s lyrics, a sonic investigation of their music, interviews with the band, and surveys of Propagandhi fans, all informed and supported by an auto-ethnographic fan and learner experience of the researcher. As self-proclaimed “failures in school,” it is incredible that Propagandhi succeed in doing what so many schools wish to do: create critically engaged students embarking on a journey of becoming global citizens. Resolving how this could be the case brings many fields of study to task. What is the hidden curriculum woven into Propagandhi’s body of work that has effectively changed so many lives across the globe? Are they simply embodying a critical pedagogy, or have they crafted an approach unique to their brand of punk rock? Furthermore, this dissertation legitimizes the hidden curriculum found within informal educational settings. Propagandhi, ultimately, are able to strike a balance between reasonable critical thought and inquiry as outlined by Neil Postman’s theories on education, while Propagandhi also focus on changing social issues that are relevant and crucial to a free society. Propagandhi show that pain and hope can both be utilized as fuel for creative production.

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