Authority, authoritativeness and cultural heritage in the era of therapeutic culture

Abstract

In this work, the concepts of authority and authoritativeness in education and their 'enemies' have been examined. The latter were mainly identified in the mutual discrediting of educational agencies on the one hand and in the loss of attribution of value to cultural heritage. The void of authority and authoritativeness has been partially occupied by the therapeutic culture especially in schools, with a decisive change in the identity of the teachers and of the school institution itself. However, I conclude by saying that beyond any cultural context, the difference for individual students is primarily the practice, the choices that the reference educational figures adopt.