ResponsAbility - Dialogues on Practical Knowledge and Bildung in Professional Studies

• #16 Alfried Längle & Eva Maria Waibel | Existential Pedagogy and Existential Analysis

  In this episode of the ResponsAbility Podcast, we are joined by Prof. Dr. Alfried Längle and Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Maria Waibel—two leading voices in existential therapy and pedagogy. Alfried Längle, a close collaborator of Viktor Frankl and founder of the International Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, shares his insights into the foundations of existential psychotherapy, focusing on meaning, freedom, and the four fundamental motivations that guide human life. Eva Maria Waibel, a seasoned educator and psychotherapist, brings these existential principles into the field of education, emphasizing the formation of the whole person through presence, relationship, and ethical responsibility.Together, they explore how both therapy and education can support people in navigating suffering, disconnection, and the challenges of modern life—not by offering easy answers, but by cultivating the courage to face difficult questions and stay connected to oneself and others. This episode offers a hopeful reflection on what it means to teach, learn, and live with meaning and care.00:01:24 - About the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy00:06:17 - What distinguishes Alried Längle's form of existential analysis from Viktor Frankl's?00:08:38 - What is Existential Pedagogy and what does it look like in practice?00:16:05 - How can you work to educate children and youth in ways that can give them meaning in their lives?00:17:41 - How to understand spirituality in the context of Existential Analysis and Existential Pedagogy?00:23:50 - How to work with not only spirituality but also with responsibility in educational settings?00:33:47 - What does conscience mean in the context of Existential Analysis and Existential Pedagogy?00:35:58 - What can Existential Pedagogy contribute to the development of so-called Life Skills?Literature:Längle, A. (2024): The Art of Involving the Person: The Existential Fundamental Motivations as Structure of Motivational Process. In: A. Cantú, E. Maisel, & C. Ruby (Eds.), Theoretical Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model of Mental Disorder Labeling: Contemporary Frameworks, Taxonomies, and Models (pp. 487–503). Cambridge (UK): The Ethics International Press. ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-80441-276-3 Längle A. & Klaassen, D. (2019): Phenomenology and Depth in Existential Psychotherapy. In: J Humanistic Psychology https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/pJdypyZFmIK2F6mvBgyJ/full Längle, A. (2014): From Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy to Existential Analytic psychotherapy. In: European Psychotherapy 12, 67-83. Längle, A. (2012): The Viennese School of Existential Analysis. The Search for Meaning and Affirmation of Life. In: Barnett L, Madison G (Eds.): Existential therapy: Legacy, vibrancy, and dialogue. New York: Routledge, 2ß12, 159-170. Siller, H. & Waibel, E. M. (2018): Not pure harmony, but less of a power struggle – What do teachers and pedagogues think about Existential Pedagogy? In: The Teacher Educator, Volume 53/2018, Issue 1, pp. 44 – 66. Waibel, E. M. (2017): Self-Worth and Meaning-Oriented Education, In: Etherington, Matthew (Ed.). What Teachers Need to Know. Topics of Inclusion. Wipf & Stock: Eugene, OR (USA), pp. 66 – 81   Waibel, E. M. (2012): Erziehung zu Selbstwert und Sinn – Self-Worth and Meaning-Oriented Education, In: Rabensteiner, Pia-Maria und Ropo Eero (Hrsg.): Life and Responsibility in European Education. Euopean Dimension in Education and Teaching. Vol. 5. Hohengehren: Schneider, S. 103 – 131 

  --------  

  38:31

  --------

  38:31
• #15 Carol Gilligan | Democracy - The Opposite of Patriarchy

  The Time Magazine listed our guest today among America’s 25 most influential people in 1996. And with that, we are truly honored to welcome Professor Carol Gilligan in this episode! Carol is one of the most influential psychologists and ethicists of our time. She is the author of the groundbreaking book In a Different Voice, which not only reshaped moral development theory but also introduced the now widely recognized ethics of care. Currently based at New York University, she has held distinguished positions at Harvard and Cambridge. Her work has had a lasting impact not only in psychology and philosophy but also in education, gender studies, and democratic theory. In this episode, we speak with Carol about the origins of In a Different Voice, the overlooked abortion study that inspired it, and the paradigm shift she helped initiate—from abstract principles of justice to an ethics rooted in care, relationship, and responsibility. We also explore the role of embodied knowledge, the resurgence of patriarchy, and why helping children—and societies—find their voices is more urgent than ever. 00:01:16 – A bit about Carol’s personal story 00:09:56 – About the abortion decision study which lead to In a Different Voice 00:16:57 – About the paradigm shift towards the ethics of care 00:21:47 – What does responsibility mean to Carol? 00:27:32 – What role does intuition have with regard to the human voice?  00:31:58 – What would it look like in practice if we were to teach teacher students or nursing students in a way that would enhance their intuition? 00:33:16 – What does the voice of resistance sound like? 00:41:50 – Why did Carol call her book Darkness Now Visible? Literature:   Gilligan, C. (1982): In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674445444.  Gilligan, C (1991) Women, Girls and Psychotherapy. Reframing resistance.  Gilligan, C. Between Voice and Silence (1996): Women and Girls, Race and Relationships.  Gilligan, C. (2011). Joining the resistance. Cambridge, UK Malden, Massachusetts: Polity Press. ISBN 9780745651705.  Gilligan, C and David Richards (2020). Darkness now visible - Patriarchy`s Resurgence and Feminist resistance  Gilligan, C. (2023): In a Human Voice. Cambridge: Polity Press ISBN 9781509556809.  

  --------  

  52:46

  --------

  52:46
• #14 Helgard Mahrdt | Hannah Arendt and the Double Responsibility of Educators

  Our guest in this episode is Dr. Helgard Mahrdt from the Center for Gender Research at the University of Oslo. She was also Associate Professor at the Department of Literature, Area Studies, and European Languages and Visiting Professor at the University of Ljubljana. Furthermore, she served as a Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities in Copenhagen and has been affiliated with the Humaniora study group at the University of Oslo. In this episode, we explore her long-standing engagement with the political thought of Hannah Arendt, focusing on Arendt’s insights into education, judgment, and responsibility. We discuss Arendt’s concept of the educator’s double responsibility—toward both the child and the world—and what it means to teach in an era marked by alienation, expropriation, and the breakdown of tradition. We also reflect on the role of thinking, remembering, and public discourse in shaping democratic life, and on how educators and universities must respond to rising authoritarian pressures. 00:01:25 – What brought Helgard to study the life and work of Hannah Arendt? 00:03:48 – On the double responsibility of the educator 00:04:09 – On Arendt’s concept of Being-in-the-world and its relevance for education 00:11:45 – On the difference between moral and political responsibility 00:15:52 – What lessons can we draw from Arendt regarding current radical political movements? 00:21:19 – Do universities have a political responsibility? Literature: Arendt, H. (2017): The Origins of Totalitarianism. London: Penguin Books. Arendt, H. (2018): The Human Condition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Arendt, H. (2022): Eichmann in Jerusalem. London: Penguin Books. Arendt, H. (2006): On Revolution. London: Penguin Books. Mahrdt, H. (in progress) Hannah Arendt – to be at home in the world. Vidar Forlag: Oslo.   Mahrdt, H. (2022): Responding to wrong-doing. Ethics and Education. ISSN 1744-9642. 17(2), p. 197–210. doi: 10.1080/17449642.2022.2054541.  Mahrdt, H. (2018): Arendt and the notion of plurality, In: Filosofisk supplement.   Mahrdt, H. (2015): Refugees and Europe: a dilemma or a turning point. In: Studier i Pedagogisk Filosofi. Vol. 4. No. 2.   Mahrdt, H. (2012): Hannah Arendt: Self-disclosure, Worldliness and plurality. Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology. Vol 43. No.3. (pp.250-263). 

  --------  

  22:55

  --------

  22:55
• #13 Monika Ardelt | How can you measure wisdom?

  The guest of our episode today is the internationally acclaimed wisdom researcher, Monika Ardelt. Monika is Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida and a Founding Faculty Member and serves on the Advisory Committee of the University of Florida’s Center for Spirituality and Health. She is widely recognized in the global wisdom research community for developing the influential Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (3D-WS), a pioneering tool that conceptualizes wisdom as a combination of cognitive, reflective, and compassionate dimensions. In this episode, we talk with Monika about how she came to study wisdom, what makes someone wise, and how wisdom can be cultivated across the lifespan. We explore the links between wisdom, well-being, resilience, meaning-making, spirituality, and responsibility—and whether wisdom can be taught in educational settings. Monika also reflects on the challenges of measuring wisdom across cultures and why she believes that wisdom is ultimately not something found in books, but embodied in the way we live our lives. 00:01:19 – How Monika became a wisdom researcher 00:07:00 – The story behind the 3D Wisdom Scale 00:11:32 – Is wisdom universal? 00:11:32 – Wisdom and meaning-making 00:11:32 – Can young people be wise? 00:22:30 – Can wisdom be taught? 00:25:10 – How do students respond to the university course on wisdom? 00:27:05 – On wisdom and spirituality 00:32:00 – On wisdom and responsibility Further literature: Ardelt, M. (2003): Empirical assessment of a three-dimensional wisdom scale. Research on Aging, 25(3): 275-324.  Ardelt, M. (2004): Wisdom as Expert Knowledge System: A Critical Review of a Contemporary Operationalization of an Ancient Concept. Human Development, 47(5), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1159/000079154   Ardelt, M. (2000): Antecenents and Effects of Wisdom in Old Age: A Longitudinal Perspective on Aging Well. Research on Aging. Volume: 22 issue: 4, page(s): 360-394  Zadworna, M. & Ardelt, M. (2025): Understanding mental health in older adults: exploring the interplay of wisdom, perceived poor health, and attitudes toward agingAging & Mental Health 2025-01-24 | Journal article DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2025.2452943   Ardelt, M. & Kingsbury, J. (2024): Wisdom, Virtues, and Well-Being: An Empirical Test of Aristotle’s Theory of Flourishing. Topoi. 2024-08 | Journal article DOI: 10.1007/s11245-023-10002-x   Ardelt, M.; Kim, J.J. &Ferrari, M. (2023): Does Self-Transcendent Wisdom Mediate the Relation between Spirituality and Well-Being? A Test Across Six Nations Journal of Happiness Studies | Journal article DOI: 10.1007/s10902-023-00637-3   

  --------  

  35:39

  --------

  35:39
• #12 Bernadette Flanagan | Why Spirituality and Contemplative Studies Matter for Today's Professionals

  Our guest in this episode is Bernadette Flanagan, an internationally recognized researcher in the fields of spirituality, contemplative studies, and professional education. Bernadette was Director of Research at All Hallows College, Dublin City University, and is now Director of the Spirituality in Society and the Professions research group at South-East Technological University in Ireland. She is the co-editor of the Routledge International Handbook of Spirituality in Society and the Professions as well as the Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Spirituality and Contemplative Studies. In this episode, Bernadette shares insights into how spirituality and contemplative practices can foster reflection, resilience, and ethical responsibility among professionals working in fields like education, healthcare, and social care. She explains how contemplative and cooperative inquiry methods open new ways of doing research that connect personal development, professional practice, and social transformation. We also discuss how first-, second-, and third-person research approaches can deepen academic work in spirituality, and how spiritual and contemplative practices can serve as crucial resources for navigating today's global "polycrisis". Finally, Bernadette reflects on how her long career of supervising spirituality research has shaped her own understanding of life, learning, and responsibility. 00:00:59 – What is spirituality? 00:03:02 – What is the role of spirituality in professions and professional studies? 00:05:40 – Why do we need spirituality? 00:07:00 - What is the relationship between spirituality and contemplation? 00:08:17 – What can spirituality and contemplation add to more mainstream, competence-oriented approaches in professional studies? 00:09:46 – Do cooperative inquiry, contemplative inquiry and action research, do they share a common methodological orientation? 00:12:33 – On first-person, second-person and third-person research 00:15:35 - Lies the true potential of spiritual and contemplative practices in second-person research and not in third-person research? 00:18:34 – Was there a personal transformation due to all that research work in the field or spirituality and contemplative studies? 00:22:57 – What brought Bernadette into this field? 00:29:15 – How can spirituality and contemplation foster the responsibility of students of professional studies? Further literature: Flanagan, B. & Clough, K. (eds.) (2025): The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods for Spirituality and Contemplative Studies. Abingdon on Thames: Routledge.  Laszlo, Z. & Flanagan, B. (eds.) (2019): Routledge International Handbook of Spirituality in Society and the Professions. Abingdon on Thames: Routledge. 

  --------  

  31:04

  --------

  31:04

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About ResponsAbility - Dialogues on Practical Knowledge and Bildung in Professional Studies