From 10 to 12 March 2027, the University of Salerno will host the fourth edition of the international festival “Generative Pedagogy and Thinking Communities,” titled NATURALITER. “The Living Between Nature and Culture,” promoted and organised as part of the activities of the UNESCO Chair in Generative Pedagogy and Educational Systems to Tackle Inequality, chaired by Prof. Emiliana Mannese, the Festival’s Scientific Director. This new edition will explore the relationship between Nature, Culture and Education, placing “life” and the interdependent relationships that permeate human experience, environments and ecosystems at the centre of pedagogical reflection.
NATURALITER 2027: Life Between Nature and Culture The theme NATURALITER: Life Between Nature and Culture invites us to critically examine the traditional distinctions between biological and cultural dimensions, between human beings and the environment, and between nature and artifice, exploring the relationships through which experience, knowledge and education are shaped. In a contemporary world undergoing profound scientific, technological, environmental and social transformations, the Festival proposes a rethinking of the relationship between Nature and Culture, recognising that the complexity of the Living is a fundamental issue for pedagogical research and for understanding educational and formative processes.
Generative Pedagogy and the World-System: The Festival’s Scientific Perspectives Drawing on the theoretical-epistemological perspective of Generative Pedagogy and the World-System, as developed by Emiliana Mannese, the Festival aims to critically examine educational paradigms and institutionalised forms of learning, recognising plasticity, transformation, and generativity as constitutive dimensions of processes of knowledge and education. Reflection on the Living thus acquires specific pedagogical relevance, in that it calls for a rethinking of the conditions, possibilities, and purposes of education, considering the human being within the dynamic, transformative relationships they maintain with the world.
Thought, Cognition, and Learning Between Nature and Culture Particular attention will be devoted to the relationship between Nature and Culture in the development of thought, cognition, and learning, as well as to the educational conditions that can foster the recognition and development of the potential of living beings. Dialogue between pedagogy, philosophy, neuroscience, and other fields of scientific research will allow us to explore in depth the relationships between the organism, experience, environment, and culture, examining the role of plasticity and transformation in the processes of knowledge and learning. The NATURALITER theme also prompts reflection on the educational responsibilities associated with contemporary environmental, social, and cultural transformations, inviting us to think critically about anthropocentric representations of the relationship between humans and nature and to recognise the complexity of the interdependent relationships that permeate all living things.
Thinking Communities: Research, Education, and Dialogue Across Disciplines In keeping with previous editions, the International Festival “Generative Pedagogy and Thinking Communities” aims to promote dialogue among different bodies of knowledge and disciplinary perspectives, facilitating engagement between the scientific community, institutions, schools, students, and local communities. Through research, training, and participatory experiences, the Festival renews its commitment to building Thinking Communities, valuing scientific discourse and the shared production of knowledge as essential conditions for generating new educational, cultural, and social possibilities.
Winter School 2027: Pedagogy and Generative Guidance
As part of the Festival’s program, the 4th edition of the Winter School “Pedagogy and Generative Guidance: Building Thinking Communities – NATURALITER. The Living Between Nature and Culture” will also take place, under the scientific direction of Prof. Maria Grazia Lombardi.
The Festival’s academic program, information about the Winter School, venues, schedules, and participation guidelines will be made available through upcoming updates on our website and on the UNESCO Chair’s official channels.
System to Tackle Inequality