This event is part of the School of Education's Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series. These seminars are free and open to the public.
Host: Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) and Centre for Comparative and International Research in Education (CIRE)
Speaker: Dr Elvis Imafidon (SOAS)
Ubuntu Philosophy, Collaborative Pedagogy and Inclusive Educational Practices
In this talk, I draw heavily on the communitarian philosophy in sub-Saharan African traditions often popularised in existing literature with the Zulu/Xhosa concept of Ubuntu to develop an inclusive philosophy of education.
I begin by examining three philosophical principles that emerge from Ubuntu namely relationality, fluidity and difference and show how they can shape our understanding of the ontology and ethics of key educational practices such as teaching/learning, curriculum design and pastoral care. I then showcase how these principles are employed in collaborative pedagogical practices in indigenous African places such as in palaver practices, and collaborative teaching and learning processes. I further show how these principles are useful in reexamining our understanding of autonomy, individuality, agency, personhood, and teamwork in academic education settings today.
