Ecojustice education and communitarianism: Exploring the possibility for African eco-communitarianism. Issue 2 (28th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kruger, Frans; le Roux, Adré; Teise, Kevin
• Is Part Of: Educational philosophy and theory. Volume 52:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 206
• Page End: 216
• Publication Date: 2020-01-28
• Subjects: African communitarianism -- eco-communitarianism -- ecojustice education -- critical place-based education; Education -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Teaching -- Periodicals; Éducation; Philosophie de l'éducation; Théorie de l'éducation; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 370.1
• DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2019.1625769
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-1857

Abstract

Abstract: In this article, we explore the concept of African communitarianism and reflect on its potential value for ecojustice education as a localised response to the wider ecological crises that impacts on African communities. We argue for an African eco-communitarian perspective and propose that this perspective extends ecojustice education. Such extension occurs firstly through foregrounding and emphasising the establishment of harmonious and co-constitutive relationships that is characterised by intersubjectivity and secondly, by extending community to beyond humans (and ancestors) to be inclusive of the more-than human world. We contend that ecojustice education, framed within an African eco-communitarianism, constitutes a localised response to the ecological crises in the form of critical place-based education, that it enables co-constitutive dialogue and interaction between the human and non-human elements of an eco-community and is an ethico-political praxis characterised by an African environmental ethic.