Pedagogical bonds in the Medicine career: Verticalism, sexist violence and “good authority”

Abstract

The work presents partial results of a qualitative study aimed at knowing how pedagogical bonds are configured at the university from the perspective of authority. Authority is conceived as a dissymmetrical relationship between two or more people, mediated by recognition, and is distinguished from power, violence and authoritarianism. The clipping takes up the speech produced by advanced students of the Medicine degree at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in a discussion group. The conversation went through four big moments. First, the vertical, distant and hierarchical nature of pedagogical relationships in the mass classes of the first years of the degree was highlighted. Second, manifestations of sexist violence were identified by teachers in the final years of their studies. Third, the students warned about how confusing and ambivalent “the affective” can be in personal and close relationships with teachers, especially when they mask sexist violence. Fourthly, the idea of a “good” professorial authority was claimed, with traits of respect, positivity, exemplarity and justice, which place it as an ideal. The findings highlight the complex relationship between pedagogical bonds and gender relations, and open new questions.