Periagoge
Concept
1 min read

The Pedagogy of Unlearning

A structured approach to consciously examining and releasing false beliefs, distorted interpretations, and internalized control mechanisms from faith indoctrination.

Juana
Why It Matters

Sor Juana's intellectual method involved rigorous questioning of received doctrine—not wholesale rejection, but careful examination of what deserved continued belief. The pedagogy of unlearning applies this method to faith departure: it's not merely forgetting, but actively studying what you were taught, why you believed it, how it served institutional interests, and whether it serves your authentic development. This framework treats unlearning as serious intellectual work requiring time, resources, and often external support. You must identify what was instilled (shame about sexuality, fear of questioning, binary thinking, authoritarian submission patterns) and systematically examine its origins and functions. Unlike passive apostasy, this pedagogy makes deconstruction a deliberate practice of reclaiming your mind from colonization. It honors the difficulty of changing fundamental beliefs while insisting that identity reconstruction requires active, conscious disengagement from internalized authority.

Helpful guides
Juana
Identity & Justice
Peri
Questions about The Pedagogy of Unlearning?

Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.

Ready to work on The Pedagogy of Unlearning?

Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.