A didactic proposal for studying consent: overview and illustration in the 18th century

Abstract

This article addresses the study of the idea of consent in literature and arts, and its practical application to classrooms. In this paper the authors propose an educational experience based on French classicism and its ideas of dignity, respect and consent. We propose a didactic approach to the representation of consent in 18th century French writings and paintings, prioritizing student's self-reliance and ability to manage the process. This period is particularly interesting because during the Enlightenment (the 'Age of Reason') many texts represent rape praising the act, forgetting that requesting and granting of a partner's consent, by its very nature, implies the recognition of that partner as a person. Since such an understanding is a prerequisite for effective sexuality education, consent is an ideal concept to explore in the classroom. This paper presents an overview of teaching approaches on how to include consent and its concept in the curriculum content of high school education. The research presented here was conducted surveying fifteen students currently attending Philology courses at the University of the Basque Country-UPV/EHU. The educational experience is based in an abductive methodology, creating a learning workgroup tasked with specific problem solving: with an approach to the studied period, the analysis of a French painting and sharing the answers of a test, and also based on different natures and degrees of difficulty. The article focuses on the role of the instructor: not trying to replace the students' imagination, but rather trying to provide them with adequate tools to complete their task.