12 research outputs found
Exploring posthuman pedagogies: the practice and ethics of decentring the human
No full textPhilosophical posthumanism attempts to decentre the human so that in a world dominated by humanity we can learn to understand the complex interdependencies in which we are embroiled. This paper examines the practice of decentring the human as an ethical pedagogical method for environmental education working with two posthumanist pedagogies, firstly Taylor’s (2013) common worlds and secondly Lenz Taguchi’s (2010) intra-active pedagogy. Instances of decentring are drawn from researching the practices of the Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN), an environmental education charity working with inner-city schools on the ‘Workshops for Wildlife’ project. As encounters with other beings can be unpredictable the project included pupils’ stories of animal encounters. But can such tales decentre humans into re-imagining ethical human/animal relations? Working with the ethics of encounter, inclusion and diffractive methods this paper explores how responsive pedagogical practices decentre the human
From academia to response-ability
No full textThe need to tackle climate change through both mitigation and adaptation is increasingly urgent with all nations and all sectors of society needing to respond. Given this state of affairs social action is important not only to raise awareness but to stimulate appropriate responses to the climate crisis. As a consequence, social action programmes in schools have been a crucial part of learning about climate change as they provide political and practical engagement. This paper explores the experience of the Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN), a small UK charity that runs a social action project with schools focusing on the facilitation of inter-generational activities around climate change. Presenting three vignettes, written by myself as the MEEN coordinator, the aim is to examine the Carbon Classroom programme and discuss the ethical value of these intergenerational interactions. Rather than working with the idea of responsibility, which focuses on duty and accountability, this paper will explore climate change education through the notion of response-ability (Haraway 2016) with the aim of cultivating an ethical and open approach where responses are mutually engaging. Thus, by drawing on Barad’s theory of agential realism, the vignettes will highlight instances where enactments of response-ability occur. The conclusion will discuss the recent rise in young people engaging in activism on climate change, such as the Fridays for Future, Youth4Climate and the Extinction Rebellion movements, and question, in the light of these events, how the role of climate change educators need to be reconfigured to become more response-able
Exploring posthuman pedagogies:The practice and ethics of decentring the human
No full textPhilosophical posthumanism attempts to decentre the human so that in a world dominated by humanity we can learn to understand the complex interdependencies in which we are embroiled. This paper examines the practice of decentring the human as an ethical pedagogical method for environmental education working with two posthumanist pedagogies, firstly Taylor’s (2013) common worlds and secondly Lenz Taguchi’s (2010) intra-active pedagogy. Instances of decentring are drawn from researching the practices of the Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN), an environmental education charity working with inner-city schools on the ‘Workshops for Wildlife’ project. As encounters with other beings can be unpredictable the project included pupils’ stories of animal encounters. But can such tales decentre humans into re-imagining ethical human/animal relations? Working with the ethics of encounter, inclusion and diffractive methods this paper explores how responsive pedagogical practices decentre the human
Beyond imagining: enacting intergenerational response-ability as world-building – commentary to Bowman
No full textThis Reflection considers Bowman’s call to researchers to respond to young peoples’ concerns about the climate crisis as a "world-building project" suggesting that researchers can support young people by helping them imagine the future. Drawing on the work of Barad and Haraway, I want to widen the call by suggesting that researchers need to respond to the climate crisis through enactments of mutual response-ability. The challenge is how adults concerned with the climate crisis can work alongside young people to promote and create effective change. But more than that it is about researchers, universities, and others making change. Young people are protesting because they want adults to secure their future: the important question is how we best do this
Exploring posthuman pedagogies:The practice and ethics of decentring the human
No full textPhilosophical posthumanism attempts to decentre the human so that in a world dominated by humanity we can learn to understand the complex interdependencies in which we are embroiled. This paper examines the practice of decentring the human as an ethical pedagogical method for environmental education working with two posthumanist pedagogies, firstly Taylor’s (2013) common worlds and secondly Lenz Taguchi’s (2010) intra-active pedagogy. Instances of decentring are drawn from researching the practices of the Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN), an environmental education charity working with inner-city schools on the ‘Workshops for Wildlife’ project. As encounters with other beings can be unpredictable the project included pupils’ stories of animal encounters. But can such tales decentre humans into re-imagining ethical human/animal relations? Working with the ethics of encounter, inclusion and diffractive methods this paper explores how responsive pedagogical practices decentre the human
Mud and MEEN:Urban ES education in the post-industrial landscape of Manchester
No full textAs Maria Puig de le Bellacasa argued recently in her plenary at the Royal Geographic Society Conference in London, ‘soil’ is a perfect metaphor for our troubled rela-tionship with the ‘Earth’. So, that means, for urban ES educators, teaching about mud is more important than ever
Mud and MEEN:Urban ES education in the post-industrial landscape of Manchester
No full textAs Maria Puig de le Bellacasa argued recently in her plenary at the Royal Geographic Society Conference in London, ‘soil’ is a perfect metaphor for our troubled rela-tionship with the ‘Earth’. So, that means, for urban ES educators, teaching about mud is more important than ever
Enhancing Intergenerational Communication Around Climate Change
No full textCommunication between children and adults can play a significant role in evolving understandings of climate change. The Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN) is committed to facilitating intergenerational communication around climate change in conjunction with primary and secondary schools in the North West of England, UK. MEEN and academics at the University of Manchester have come together to gain insights into the intergenerational communication that can evolve the understandings that children and adults need to address climate-change related issues. We wish, particularly to understand whether the children-led, knowledge-based approach that MEEN uses on some projects is an effective way of achieving this aim. As a means of exploring this question, the paper uses ‘vignettes’, evocative episodes that act as prompts for analysing the dynamics of the projects. It also draws on a growing body of literature around intergenerational relations relating it specifically to climate change communication (e.g. Mannion 2016; Blanchet-Cohen and Reilly 2016; Wyness 2013). Our explorations of the vignettes have led us to the view that ‘reciprocally responsive’ intergenerational communications is pivotal to negotiating understandings of climate change and how to act in the face of it
In it together! Cultivating space for intergenerational dialogue, empathy and hope in a climate of uncertain
No full textThe urgent and interlocking social, economic and ecological crises facedby societies around the world require dialogue, empathy and above all,hope that transcends social divides. At a time of uncertainty and crisis,many societies are divided, with distrust and divides exacerbated bymedia representations pitting different groups against one another.Acknowledging intersectional interrelationships, this collaborative paperconsiders one type of social distinction – generation – and focuses onhow trust can be rebuilt across generations. To do this, we collate keyinsights from eight projects that shared space within a conferencesession foregrounding creative, intergenerational responses to theclimate and related crises. Prompted by a set of reflective questions,presenters commented on the methodological resources that were co-developed in intergenerational research and action spaces. Most of thework outlined was carried out in the UK, situated in challenges that areat once particular to local contexts, and systematic of a wider malaisethat requires intergenerational collaboration. Reflecting across theprojects, we suggest fostering ongoing, empathetic dialogues acrossgenerations is key to addressing these challenges of the future,securing communities that are grounded as collaborative and culturallyresponsive, and resilient societies able to adapt to and mitigate theimpacts of change
In it together! Cultivating space for intergenerational dialogue, empathy and hope in a climate of uncertain
No full textThe urgent and interlocking social, economic and ecological crises facedby societies around the world require dialogue, empathy and above all,hope that transcends social divides. At a time of uncertainty and crisis,many societies are divided, with distrust and divides exacerbated bymedia representations pitting different groups against one another.Acknowledging intersectional interrelationships, this collaborative paperconsiders one type of social distinction – generation – and focuses onhow trust can be rebuilt across generations. To do this, we collate keyinsights from eight projects that shared space within a conferencesession foregrounding creative, intergenerational responses to theclimate and related crises. Prompted by a set of reflective questions,presenters commented on the methodological resources that were co-developed in intergenerational research and action spaces. Most of thework outlined was carried out in the UK, situated in challenges that areat once particular to local contexts, and systematic of a wider malaisethat requires intergenerational collaboration. Reflecting across theprojects, we suggest fostering ongoing, empathetic dialogues acrossgenerations is key to addressing these challenges of the future,securing communities that are grounded as collaborative and culturallyresponsive, and resilient societies able to adapt to and mitigate theimpacts of change
