Although Ubuntu/Obuntu philosophy remains a foundation for many African communities, there are also growing concerns about its gradual erosion and assault. There is limited understanding about the struggles that African parents, especially in the diaspora experience as they pass on Ubuntu/Obuntu values to their children who live in a different context from the one their parents were raised in. This knowledge is crucial for facilitating Ubuntu/Obuntu's revitalisation and transmission to the younger generation. Using a critical approach, this chapter draws from lived experiences and existing literature to discuss two key challenges that the authors, who are African parents, have experienced in passing on Ubuntu/Obuntu. The challenges relate to past and ongoing colonialism manifested in Eurocentric education systems in Africa and the diaspora and dwindling community interactions. Strategies adopted by the authors in the diaspora to overcome these barriers and implications of an Ubuntu/Obuntu-inspired education are also presented.
As people live in cross-cultural contexts, there is a need to recognize and appreciate the role of different worldviews and how they shape our understanding of humanity, upbringing, and engagement in social or work environments. The key starting point to enable this is exploring the often-overlooked indigenous philosophies of life such as Ubuntu and examining how such value systems survive alongside opposing or similar traditions. This chapter improves the understanding of cultural values by discussing the central tenets of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, in comparison to the Western ways of life and the strategies that Africans in the diaspora are applying to preserve Ubuntu values. Strategies for promoting Ubuntu in the education system and community settings are also recommended with the goal of enhancing cross-cultural awareness.
As higher education providers (HEPs) across the globe continue to recruit international students to improve their financial and diversity profiles, it is critical that sufficient effort is made to integrate cultural responsiveness across institutional systems with the goal of creating a good experience for these students. This critical collaborative reflection study is positioned within Fook's critical reflection framework. The authors story their experiences as international students in Australia and reflect on how such experiences have influenced their work as academics. The stories weave together to identify critical issues such as positive relationships, empathetic understanding, and sensitive pedagogies that are relevant in the pursuit of culturally responsive education in higher education institutions.
Social media can bring together diverse people, providing a platform to facilitate discussions about various issues across races, cultures, and religions. These platforms shape social change by bringing to light individuals' perceptions on social issues whilst simultaneously becoming echo chambers that exclude contradictory or dissenting voices. Increases in digital violence, racism, and discrimination can be seen on social media websites, particularly towards those whose ideas challenge the dominant discourses of their cultural groups. The authors explore this phenomenon through four case studies: Aboriginal Australian academic Anthony Dillon, Aboriginal politician Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, African American former gubernatorial candidate and radio presenter Larry Elder, and African American political commentator Candace Owens. Their experiences are considered through the lens of free speech, civil discourse, and how social media users choose vilification instead of debate to address dissenting voices.
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