Conceptualising education for ecological democracy in Lesotho: An African philosophy of education perspective

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorBarnett, E. P.en_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorKruger, F.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMutebi, Richarden_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-26T09:18:21Z
dc.date.available2023-09-26T09:18:21Z
dc.date.issued2022en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (Ph.D. (Policy Studies in Education))--University of the Free State, 2022en_ZA
dc.description.abstractClimate change is a global threat that has brought us to the edge of ecological precarity. The crisis we face due to climate change impacts all aspects of human life, a reality which raises substantial concerns while highlighting our communities' relationship with the environment. Natural factors such as volcanic eruptions, changing ocean currents, solar variations, and internal variability are experienced in different countries. These natural factors are inducing climate change at an alarming rate. Such natural factors have been identified among those responsible for the climate-related disasters experienced by various countries in the recent past. Therefore, we are compelled to articulate and put in place structures to mitigate the causes of climate change to the changes already occurring. This qualitative study explored the potential contribution of the African Philosophy of Education, grounded in communitarianism and expressed through the concepts of ubuntu and ukama, to conceptualising education for Ecological Democracy in the Lesotho education policy context. The study adopted a transformative paradigm to address the main research question: What potential does the African Philosophy of Education offer to conceptualise education for ecological democracy within the context of the Lesotho education policy? A qualitative approach supported by a literature review, document and policy analysis unpacked the African Philosophy of education and its communitarianism concepts of ubuntu and ukama. As a literature review study, the study did not have participants but was guided by Samuel's guidelines on policy reading and Gagnon and Labonte's framework of analysis. I analysed the content of selected documents that address climate change in Lesotho and the Lesotho educational policy landscape to conceptualise the potential of Lesotho education for ecological democracy. Analyses of the documents revealed that climate change mitigation in Lesotho is possible when citizens are motivated to work through communities to maintain and preserve the Basotho cultural identity grounded within the African Philosophy of Education and its incorporation of the African ideas of ubuntu and ukama. By communitarianism living and observing democratic governance, people in communities learn to cooperate and collaborate, and care for the environment, and this will benefit not only humans but also non-humans through the creation of structures allowing harmonious living between humans and non-humans, and contribute to the knowledge of ecological democracy.en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11660/12233
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherUniversity of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Free Stateen_ZA
dc.subjectAfrican philosophy of educationen_ZA
dc.subjectclimate hangeen_ZA
dc.subjectcommunitarianismen_ZA
dc.subjectdemocracyen_ZA
dc.subjectecological democracyen_ZA
dc.subjecteducationen_ZA
dc.subjectpolicyen_ZA
dc.titleConceptualising education for ecological democracy in Lesotho: An African philosophy of education perspectiveen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
MutebiR.pdf
Size:
1.75 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
All Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Studies)