Small things / bigger picture: Foucault, Vygotsky and exclusionary practices in schools

This conceptual paper seeks to identify resonances between the theorising of Vygotsky and Foucault that can explain how events which may not be perceived to be exclusionary by educators may contribute to school exclusion or the self-exclusion of students through home education. We explore the subjective conditions of actions that deviate from the normative standards enshrined in school behaviour policies, drawing on Vygotsky’s concept of perezhivanie which, following Chisholm, we situate in an ars pathetica derived from Foucault. The small things of our title refers to incidents, interactions or micro-practices that may be perceived as insignificant by educators but which, nevertheless, have a variable and potentially profound effect on the subjective configurations or imaginings and future actions of students, while the bigger picture describes an educational landscape characterised by high rates of formal school exclusion and growing numbers of home-educated young people where, neither are in their best interests, some demographics are disproportionately represented, and both undermine claims around inclusivity. The concepts explored have relevance internationally as suggested by reports on exclusionary practices globally by transnational organisations. We argue that Vygotskian concepts can explain varied reactions to disciplinary regimes, while Foucauldian theorising introduces a reading of reactions as resistance.