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Having access to knowledge is a fundamental principle of democracy. Thinking about this notion means considering the different modes of learning (theoretical, scholarly, practical) as well as the forms and places of knowledge production and transmission (schools, museums, sharing of experiences, writing, orality, etc.). While the dramatic growth of information technologies and massive data sharing have made all types of knowledge more accessible, they have also increased the development of a real economy of knowledge \u2014 the cognitive capitalism<\/em> that irrefutably affects educational institutions and the art world. Furthermore, knowledge transmission is not only about questions of access \u2014 to information, resources, or educational institutions \u2014 but also about people\u2019s ability to see themselves reflected in the spectrum of knowledge offered, which is still very much \u201cguided\u201d by the dominant Western thought. In this context, philosopher Seloua Luste Boulbina opens the feature section by proposing \u201cdisorientation\u201d as a means of shifting us from the hegemonic references imposed by European colonialism. The interview lays the groundwork for a series of reflections that emphasize the power relationships inherent to the social field of knowledge. We thus propose to observe a little more closely the strategies that artists and curators adopt in order to introduce new pedagogies or ways of thinking. Without all being entirely new \u2014 some of the references cited go back to the early institutional critique of the 1970s \u2014 the research involved in an educational turn in art or in a participatory museology reflects social concerns that are undeniably current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interest in developing alternative forms of knowledge acquisition is not limited to sharing theories or practices; it also seeks to transform individuals\u2019 view of art and society by providing them with the tools they need to think critically. In the wake of identity or feminist theories, which have been increasingly critical of how gender, race, and class are represented, artists strive to make the public aware, through their work, of the androcentric or colonialist focus of many museum collections. Others challenge the curriculums established by educational institutions by offering different didactic approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the essays in this issue recognize and put forward knowledge and know-how derived from daily life or from the traditions of diverse communities, as well as valourize the role that not knowing can play in methods of learning by transforming it into know-how conducive to emancipatory social action. Overall, the approaches proposed here by artists and curators are chiefly supported by notions of sharing, collaboration, and the pooling of all knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translated from the French by Oana Avasilichioaei<\/strong><\/p>\n