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The interconnectedness of African philosophical principles of Ubuntu with generative artificial intelligence may provide an inclusive approach to distance higher education. This fusion may improve and provide customised learning, access quality education, collaboration, inclusivity, strengthens lecturer support and development, and a culturally relevant experience that acknowledges the communal interests of all stakeholders. Generative artificial intelligence promotes epistemological access for all students irrespective of their diverse social, financial, and linguistic backgrounds and redefines higher education experiences and practices while the principles of Ubuntu prioritise the well-being of stakeholders. The objective of this conceptual article was to explore the interconnectedness between Ubuntu principles and generative artificial intelligence perspectives in distance higher education institutions to reimagine methods of teaching and learning. This article is grounded in the theory of the Ubuntu principles and advocates for a paradigm shift in higher education practices. It contends that integrating African philosophical principles into the implementation of generative artificial intelligence's learning provides a more inclusive and culturally relevant approach to education. The notable highlights confirm that Ubuntu principles dismantle oppressive systems, restore self-determination for all students and promote change and reconciliation through the use of generative artificial intelligence. This approach can be applied to distance higher education institutions to create inclusive learning experiences that gives precedence to a sense of belonging, mutual support, and ethical considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional measures of church growth, such as attendance and giving, come from aspects of growth that can readily be counted. These countable measures resonate with cultural assumptions about success, in which more is better. In contrast, the Apostle Paul offers a measure of church growth built around conforming to the kenotic example of Christ, in which Christ emptied Himself of divine power and took on the form of a slave to serve humanity (Phil. 2:6–8). In Paul's paradigm, the necessary indicator of church growth is how well believers follow Christ's example of servanthood by living in Christian community. The present paper uses the communitarian values associated with ubuntu to provide a framework for understanding Paul's kenotic paradigm of church growth in the African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on current research that has suggested that Africa is experiencing a moral decline, which has been a fact for several years. The cultural sense of African societies has also been called into doubt in the twentieth century, with many others dismissing its existence and relevance. While society is currently disregarding cultural underpinnings and challenging morality as a reality across groups, relativism is the perspective that morality and knowledge are culturally driven. Similarly, African philosophical ideas such as ubuntu, batho-pele, communalism, and so on, which serve as the cornerstone of African worldviews, have been firmly undermined and ignored by society. The article adopts a qualitative research method, using accredited books, journals, and government publications to achieve the purpose of the study. The study's findings imply that if relativism is abandoned and African philosophy concepts are no longer relevant in society, society will perish. As a result, in the discussion, the study claims that contemporary African society is unrelated to the foundations of relativism and African philosophy, which is not the case. It concludes that to keep relativism relevant in contemporary Africa, there should be a focus on historical relativism as a tool for unity and reconciliation to address potential conflicts and restore harmony among nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies on traceability as an enabler of supply chain resilience (SCRes) have focused on large‐scale disruptions and developed country contexts. Few studies have focused on developing countries where chronic, small‐scale disruptions are common and resource scarcity means advanced digital technologies are rarely adopted. This research explores how traceability is achieved across upstream actors in two Ghanaian agri‐food supply chains and how this affects global SCRes. Social characteristics are shown to influence the risks inherent in supply chains, while traceability is both a direct and indirect SCRes enabler. Informed by the relational view, the roles of relation‐specific assets and governance mechanisms in maintaining traceability are explored. Supply chain‐wide relation‐specific assets are prioritized over dyadic relation‐specific assets. This original finding is explained by the importance of maintaining social ties over short‐term economic gains in a collectivist culture, leading to greater relational rents in the long term. A novel, informal third‐party governance mechanism that reduces formal contracting costs and provides flexibility and continuity to interfirm relationships is also identified, further facilitating the attainment of relational rents. The findings are explained in light of sub‐Saharan Africa's collectivist culture, encapsulated in the philosophy of ubuntu. Overall, the research theorizes on achieving supply chain traceability and thus enhancing global SCRes as a sociotechnical system incorporating technological and nontechnological systems that are socially embedded in the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article engages in a dialogue between the African philosophy of Ubuntu (humanity bound up in the other) and the Korean philosophy of Samae (love bound up in the other) to advocate for the emergence of a philosophy of agapeic humanism. Some structures (laws, standards, conventions, protocol and institutions), ideologies, ethics and socio‐cultural practices of indigenous African communities have particularistic, exclusive, egocentric and discriminatory strains that are in contradiction to communalism and its principles upon which the traditional African world‐view is claimed to be founded. For instance, in indigenous Igbo communities in Africa, double standards are applied in their treatment of in‐groups and out‐groups, and their religious and moral codes cannot be invoked for an offence committed by an in‐group member against an outsider (an out‐group member), thus making such ethics and practices trans‐communally/racially inapplicable and therefore non‐universalisable. The article employs analytical, critical and comparative fusion methods to approach particularism in traditional Africa communities. While the analytical method facilitates the theorisation of Ubuntu and Samae, the critical approach critiques prevailing, narrowly defined conceptions of humanism prevalent among the Igbo people of Nigeria. Through the method of comparative fusion, the article integrates elements of Ubuntu and Samae to propose the concept of agapeic humanism. It concludes that the interchange between African and Asian philosophies holds the promise of transcending particularistic limitations within the current humanistic paradigm, thereby fostering new perspectives on shared humanity rooted in practical agape love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a universal issue which affects girls in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America, and immigrant communities in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. FGM is a cultural practice in approximately 29 countries in Africa, affecting over 140 million girls. FGM is practiced as a rite of passage, where girls are initiated into womanhood. This practice is promoted as a means for incorporation, thus ascribing personhood, and belonging for girls to their communities. African scholars hold conflicting positions about FGM, with some arguing that it is essential for relational fullness and harmony. While others believe FGM is unjustified because of the health and social risks associated with the practice. We argue, applying sustainable social harmony and Gyekye's views on cultural revitalization, that FGM is morally unjustified and should be prohibited. We believe the claims that FGM fosters harmony, a value of Ubuntu, are fallacious, and this perceived harmony is pretentious and unsustainable. We claim that FGM is inauthentic, unjust and steeped in patriarchal underpinnings that are unsustainable, thus it is a disharmonious practice. Cultural practices that are disharmonious should be refined and pruned and must be dynamic and responsive to current realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tries to develop a tenable philosophical idea of Ubuntu, that is, more specifically, a crystallized and sanitized African indigenous ethical perspective. Africa as an idea seems to be a “contested” concept in this contemporary post-colonial era due to the influx of different nuances, races, values, and beliefs that are in contention. Should this be a source of worry? So far, Ubuntu theory and practice in Africa seem to have become emotive, politicized, and not inclusive enough due to grandstanding about ownership, poor conceptual and theoretical articulation, as well as antagonism from other related foreign dominant worldviews that wish to become the development paradigm for most African social and political systems. This raises relational and dialogical issues about meaning from an African viewpoint. The search for an African endogenous paradigm for development is urgent given the real consequences of a (neo)colonial tendency that has threatened and disadvantaged the development of most countries due to its dominant paradigms of alienation, exploitation, and marginalization. These values have altered or affected African behaviour and thinking. This transformation of the African personality raises issues about agency. The underlying values of a development paradigm or philosophy of development for Africa require an ethical basis for human existence in political and social order. Generally, social order in most parts of Africa is beset by the problem of a negative dominant social paradigm (DSP) or core social values of hatred, intolerance, the abuse of human rights, dehumanization, exploitation, authoritarianism, poverty, and oppression. This often leads to tension, violent conflicts, and wars. So to build a viable and stable endogenous paradigm for development in most African sociopolitical environments, we attempt to use the main pillar of interconnectedness among human beings, which is central to Ubuntu as a humane and humanistic social system, to underscore some key moral and democratic values required for human liberation and transformation. The research question is: What concrete elements or values of Ubuntu can be useful as paradigms of endogenous African development? Specifically, our findings suggest that Ubuntu ethics is defined by a set of human values central among which are reciprocity, the common good, peaceful relations, an emphasis on human dignity and the value of human life, as well as consensus, tolerance, and mutual respect. Thus, the paper argues for the possibility of utilizing Ubuntu ethical correlates as materials for establishing stable and viable development worldwide and specifically in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at the comparison of the African concept of Ubuntu and Kurt Lewin's practical social science. Ubuntu philosophy is a cornerstone concept for Africa, which is also emerging as the foundational concept of African Organization Development (African OD) theory and practice. Kurt Lewin's philosophy of social science has been, and is, a cornerstone concept and foundation from the beginning of OD (Schein, 2010). These two foundations, we believe, are as one. This, in itself, allows for, and brings credibility and credence to African OD. We postulate that Ubuntu philosophy and Kurt Lewin's social science perspectives facilitate the manifestation of the human spirit, humanistic principles and values as the guiding light in the theory and practice of OD. From this, we conclude that Ubuntu and Lewin's Field Theory are the same, indivisible in concept, and in 'being' as complementary and mirrored compositions. The advancement of African OD is premised on these cornerstone concepts and theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this hermeneutic phenomenological study I explored and interpreted the lived experiences of leisure of 11 African women immigrants living in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic before the availability of vaccines. Gadamer's theory of hermeneutic experience and Aristotle's leisure philosophy afforded the philosophical bedrock. In-depth, online interviews were augmented with visual methods. After the initial shock of multidimensional loss as pandemic restrictions took hold, women quickly regrouped and were both courageous and resilient. They turned to their Christian faith to sustain them, making do with online services and finding solace in worship. The family circle sustained, and the home became a hive for leisure. Creative leisures were enthusiastically engaged in, and gardening, cultivating, and harvesting were essential to well-being. Through it all, the African ethic of ubuntu permeated their way of being and uplifted them even in the presence of plague and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of Ubuntu philosophy for decolonising Participatory Research (PR) in the Global South, addressing power imbalances and research process challenges. Despite PR's focus on community involvement, it can perpetuate practices contradicting its principles, hence the rise of 'decolonising research' for fair, respectful researcher-community relationships and meaningful community knowledge. The central question is, 'How can Ubuntu serve as a tool for decolonising PR in the Global South?' Drawing from decolonisation, PR, and Ubuntu literature, we offer a novel perspective on applying Ubuntu in PR. The study demonstrates how Ubuntu promotes social change and justice, challenges Western knowledge universality, and empowers marginalised Global South communities via democratic, participatory platforms. We provide theoretical insights and practical suggestions for PR stakeholders, asserting that Ubuntu adoption can foster equitable, inclusive practices benefiting communities. The paper also invites further examination of indigenous philosophies in decolonising research, enriching knowledge production in the Global South and globally marginalised communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining narratives from now-adults who attended a small English Medium of Instruction school in West Africa during the 2000s, this study investigates the connections forged between language, hopes, dreams, and the manifold opportunities and challenges that unfolded as a result of their EMI education. Guided by the principles of Ubuntu, a community ethic prevalent in the research context, the paper shows how these young individuals transcended the need to align their aspirations with their socio-political reality. Against the backdrop of English's enduring perception as a gateway to enhanced quality of life, the study identifies a notable shift towards what we term attunement. Attunement emerges at the intersection of the constraining effects of the hegemony of English and the empowering principles of Ubuntu, fostering a flexible approach to personal and classroom language. This dynamic process opens up additional avenues of access and establishes the desired connections between language, hopes, and dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That collaboration has always been the foundation of human development as well as the coping strategy of some animal species is a view widely shared by scholars. In fact, no individual, organization or nation can produce everything it needs without collaboration. Therefore, nations and organizations use the concept of the triple helix as a collaborative tool to find solutions for commercial and social challenges. However, the main challenge of the model when applied has always been how to ensure its sustainability and its outcomes. Central to this challenge is the rationalist paradigm adopted in its conception and implementation, especially in an African context where communal and collectivist values are features of the society. Therefore, this paper advances a different model of collaboration. The African philosophy of Ubuntu is used as the framework for the conception and application of the triple helix. Our approach is grounded on the assumption that "culture" is one of the key determining success factors in sustainable collaboration. The approach requires a change in mindset and organizational structure and culture. Our practical approach to addressing the needed change is supported by renowned scholars in management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the concept of social and environmental sustainability is not a new philosophy in African cultures and can easily be practiced among Africans based on a better appreciation of their indigenous philosophies. It attempts to explore how the Ubuntu philosophy of humanness manifests in the Adinkra symbols to give an in-depth understanding, which shows how African societies share commonality in their concepts and to establish that African indigenous philosophies mirror strongly social and environmental sustainability dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals. It further attempts to show a purview of Ubuntu extended that illustrates that social and environmental sustainability is inseparable in African philosophies. By method, the research purposefully selected six (6) Adinkra symbols and discursively analysed how they explain the Ubuntu Philosophy and their link to socio-environmental sustainability. From the findings, Adinkra symbols reflected the Ubuntu’s common values, which are compassion, mutuality and solidarity, and metaphorically showed their connection to socio-environmental sustainability and thus creates agency and deep appreciation for acting on the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive education initiatives have been endorsed globally, especially by international development agencies. This study sought to get the views and experience of both in-service and trainee teachers about inclusive education and teacher training in the aftermath of the implementation of the 'new' Curriculum Framework for Primary and Secondary Education 2015–2022 in Zimbabwe. This new curriculum is said to be grounded in Unhu/Ubuntu philosophy. I use Unhu/Ubuntu philosophy as an evaluative and conceptual framework to examine inclusivity issues within the new curriculum. Drawing on a qualitative study involving content analysis, two key informant interviews and four focus group discussions on teacher education and inclusive education conducted in Manicaland province in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, findings highlight challenges faced in realising the Unhu/Ubuntu philosophical value of inclusivity in education. These impediments are unsurprisingly similar to those reported in other studies, both in Zimbabwe and in other countries. The paper identifies and highlights some of the reasons why inclusive education has remained elusive and makes some recommendations. It calls for teacher education premised on the indigenous Unhu/ Ubuntu philosophy. In doing this, the paper contributes to debates on inclusive education and discussions on decoloniality of education in postcolonial states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A world faced with global climate change needs actionable ways to curb its effects. We suggest that Ubuntu philosophy is a way to achieve peaceful coexistence between humans and the ecosystem. From an African perspective, we use Ubuntu philosophy's concepts to understand how humans can create environmental policies and environmental education pedagogy. We use historical ecology and document review to explore the connections between humans, ecology, and Ubuntu philosophy. An understanding of how philosophy and ecology relate is proposed to fill the gap in the cosmological premise between the African person and ecology. The study first sets out a relational model of humans and the ecosystem, then applies the ecology of education to environmental policy formulation. The research demonstrates that humanness with humaneness and collectivism, afro-eco-communitarianism, Ubuntu consensus politics, and Ubuntugogy are concepts underlying how the essence of Ubuntu philosophy can inform an ecofriendly society. The ethno-philo-cological underpinnings help conceptualize these concepts of community. Finally, the study's conclusion shows how the concepts of Ubuntu philosophy suggest ways to improve environmental education and policy formulation. Climate concerns can be resolved by handing responsibility to the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding is considered a key strategy in reducing infant mortality rates and is therefore recommended by international organisations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). In addition to effectively reducing infant mortality rates, breastfeeding offers health benefits for the mother and is considered economical and environmentally friendly, benefiting society as a whole. Despite all these benefits, there exists a perception that breastfeeding in public constitutes a lewd act and is therefore immoral. This perception has led to unfair discrimination against mothers who breastfeed in public, which we argue violates their right to autonomy and deprives their children of the right to basic nutrition. We propose Ubuntu lactivism as a movement to protect and advocate for the rights of women who want to breastfeed to be able to do so anywhere and at any time without prejudice or obstacles. Ubuntu lactivism is an activism movement advocating for the right to breastfeed, founded on the philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasises our interconnectedness and our interdependence as a society. Through this philosophy, we are also encouraged to unite according to the Sepedi aphorism: ‘tau tša hloka seboka di šitwa ke nare e hlotsa’, meaning if we are divided in the fight against infant mortality and low exclusive breastfeeding rates, we will likely lose the battle. The primary objective behind Ubuntu lactivism is to desexualise breastfeeding and advocate for the mother and her child’s rights to breastfeed on demand, which means anywhere and anytime without prejudice or hindrance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of massive socio-political and economic corruption in Nigeria bring to the foreground the need for moral rebirth or re-evaluation. The concept of Ubuntu in Ramose, as an African holistic humanism elicits the need for African brotherhood and the need for the enthronement the summun bonum of the people in Nigeria. Nigeria as a country has been bedeviled by a myriad of fundamental politico-developmental malaise that impede its development. Given the above, this paper proposes that the concept of Ubuntu if well natured and nurtured could serve as a springboard for responsible governance in Nigeria. It also adopts the analytical framework in discussing the contemporary and the politicoepietemological relevance of Ubuntu to the Nigerian democratic setting. The findings of this paper is that the concept of Ubuntu requires the need for democratic accountability, common engagement and effective leadership structure that is people-oriented. It is a reflection of African holistic humanism. This arises from the fact that Ubuntu is not based on the Western notion of individualism but fundamentally inspired by the principle of African communalism. Thus it concludes that the concept of Ubuntu presupposes an ontological, metaphysical and politico-epistemological imperative for African politics and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an analysis of the relationship between servant leadership as described in the contemporary literature and Ubuntu, which is generally described as a type of African leadership behavior. Previous studies of leadership and management in African enterprises have very often overlooked the significance of culture and indigenous philosophies like Ubuntu which underpin the practical application of certain behaviors in doing business and employee relations. In this paper, the analysis of data collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with business leaders working in a diverse range of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) within the Nigerian private sector, has revealed that the practice of Ubuntu is a unique form of African leadership behavior that does not equate to but incorporates some characteristics of servant leadership found in many other countries. The study of servant leadership in relation to the African concept of Ubuntu is particularly interesting because it draws attention to a number of philosophical, religious, mythical and mystical as well as cultural and managerial/organizational issues. Thus, it is expected to advance our understanding of leadership and management from an African perspective, bringing into dimension, the significance of indigenous philosophies and cultural values in leading and managing enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital entrepreneurship in Africa, while promising, faces significant challenges, such as limited access to technology, nascent supportive and collaborative ecosystems, digital competency gaps, financial constraints, and disparities in developmental stages across national ecosystems in Africa. This study proposes the integration of Ubuntu values as a transformative force to overcome the challenges of digital entrepreneurship in Africa. Utilising a conceptual approach, this study explores how Ubuntu-inspired values can advance equitable and sustainable digital entrepreneurship in Africa. Specifically, it examines the role of these values and related enablers in overcoming institutional hurdles and promoting long-term success in a digital entrepreneurial ecosystem. Emphasising spirituality, collective welfare, humanity, reciprocity, and benevolence, this study suggests that Ubuntu values offer a unique perspective on digital entrepreneurship practices that promote sustainable development in Africa. The study contributes to the discourse on sustainable entrepreneurship by offering practical insights for stakeholders in Africa's digital economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the study is to explore aspects of entrepreneurs' motivation and perceptions with reference to prevailing values in a given context in Africa. In the initial sections of the paper, we draw on concepts of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship ecosystem when discussing push and pull factors, access to resources, and Ubuntu. This discussion leads to the formulation of a set of research questions and the presentation of a case study analysis. The case study reveals the extent to which globalization and global events can present as palpable phenomena for small businesses opened by entrepreneurs in Africa. Further, in highlighting altruistically oriented entrepreneurial motivations and actions, the case study raises questions about notions of "necessity" entrepreneurs, given that entrepreneurship in Africa has traditionally been linked to finance and employment as opposed to altruistic and dispositional motivations. In drawing attention to the policy implications of the findings, we highlight that entrepreneurs driven by Ubuntu values are likely to be motivated to address issues of poverty, unemployment and community harmony as compared to those who are primarily motivated by rational-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sets out to address the decontextualized discourse on African entrepreneurship and attempts to locate it within the socio-cultural context using the philosophy and principles of Ubuntu. It investigates and traces how Ubuntu informs the motive, decisions and actions of the African entrepreneur. The study contrasts the Ubuntu-based decisions of the entrepreneur with the individualistic economic rationalism expected of an entrepreneur in a typical market economy. It presents a peculiar case of a young entrepreneur who started a business in 2013 which has gone through lots of experiences and trajectories that are relevant to Ubuntu philosophy. The study is underpinned by grounded theory research design which enabled us to analyze Ubuntu values and motivation through the entrepreneur's actions and stories. The research provides insights into the "contours" of the business journey and how social capital helps to sustain the firm. The nuances of economic rationality and humanity feature in this study as the business reached critical moments where the owner was torn between folding up and thinking about the potential impact of this decision on the employees. The research draws policy implications for entrepreneurs in Africa and encourages scholars to interrogate Westernized approaches to the concept of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This PRISMA scoping review identifies the emerging evidence on the relationship between the philosophy of ubuntu and the principles of inclusive education. The searches in this scoping review were conducted in AERD, Scopus, BASE EBSCO Host and Google Scholar to find the relationship between the philosophy of ubuntu as an African traditional knowledge system and the principles of inclusive education. Seven of the studies were included from a total of 134 articles published in Africa from January 2021 to December 2022 in English. Articles were excluded from review if they were published outside Africa, not in English, and from the period before January 2021. Data were thematically analysed following the thematic approach by Braun and Clarke (2021). Results organised by themes indicate that there is a very strong relationship between the philosophy of ubuntu and the principles of inclusive education. The thematic data analysis in this study indicated that both the philosophy of ubuntu and the principles of inclusive education are based on 1) equality, 2) unconditional acceptance, 3) enabling learning environment, and 4) respect for human diversity. The implication of this study is the recognition and adoption of the philosophy of ubuntu at inclusive education systems in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: The introduction of large language models has transformed text generation and accessibility across the globe. Ubuntu provides a distinct philosophy that could be useful in addressing the cultural and geographical nuances within the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Existing guidelines help offer a framework to foster and nurture consistency across diverse regions and cultures. These guidelines alone may not be sufficient to address past inequalities and disparities. An inclusive approach that adopts the guidelines in tandem with ubuntu philosophy could help promote equitable development and sustainability of these models across the sub-Saharan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study reported on here we investigated the impact of Ubuntu on learner behaviour and academic achievement in secondary schools in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. The study participants comprised 38 learners and 7 teachers from 4 secondary schools in the Gweru district. Data were collected through focus-group discussions, semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analysis. We established that teachers and learners had a satisfactory understanding of how upholding values of Ubuntu contributed to academic achievement among learners. The findings reveal that in addition to other factors affecting academic achievement, like the school and home environment, learners who upheld the values of Ubuntu were disciplined, focused on their studies, and thus attained higher levels of academic achievement compared to learners who lacked Ubuntu and engaged in substance abuse, pre-marital sex, and lacked focus on their schoolwork. Based on the study we recommend that a course on Ubuntu be introduced in teacher training complemented by professional development workshops for teachers in the field to equip them with skills of integrating values of Ubuntu into the curriculum and thus foster the same among learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the enculturated Catholic ethics of martyrdom embodied by the Martyrs of Fraternity of Burundi, a group of students whose cause is now before the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints for refusing to separate into Hutus and Tutsis during Burundi's 1993–2005 civil war. Engaging Fratelli Tutti from a local African perspective, it considers how the conviction that all human beings are brothers and sisters is to find concrete embodiment. Its argument develops Emmanuel Katongole's assertion that the African church provides a living witness of what hope looks like in contexts of violence and war, drawing on Burundian scholarship and more than sixty interviews conducted in Burundi from 2018 to 2024 to develop a thick narrative of fraternal martyrdom and the ethics of Ubuntu. By placing sacrificial solidarity rather than violence at the center of the story of the Martyrs of Fraternity, Burundian Catholics reimagine their civil war in ethical terms. This Burundian embodiment of an ethics of sacrificial solidarity, solidly grounded in its original cultural substratum, stands as a resource for a world increasingly engulfed by war, refusing to let violence have the last word in a story of fraternal love hallowed by sacrifice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights that in addition to the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, the scourge of gender-based violence has become the most pressing challenge currently facing South Africa. Apart from being described by the World Bank as the most unequal society in the world with the highest unemployment rate and deteriorating poverty levels, South Africa has been dubbed the “rape capital of the world” by Human Rights Watch. In this regard, the article primarily focuses on the prevalence of gender-based violence directed at women by their male counterparts in South Africa. This article argues that like the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, the challenge of gender-based violence in South Africa has its roots in the country’s history of apartheid. The paper utilises the lens of Ubuntu philosophy as an analytical framework to interrogate the phenomenon under study. Using Lacey George’s classifications of the causes of gender-based violence in South Africa, this paper discusses the contributing factors to gender-based violence in the country. The article is conceptual and relies entirely on secondary data sources for its compilation. The article theorises that adult education combined with principles of Ubuntu philosophy could help promote tolerance, understanding, and co-existence between males and females in South Africa thus reducing the scourge of gender-based violence in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Highveld region in South Africa's Mpumalanga province has a dense concentration of coal mines and coal-fired power stations. As a result, the area experiences severe levels of air pollution. Despite the government's obligation, little has been done to remedy the harm experienced by the environment and people in the Highveld. The complexity of the relationship between the state and corporations contributes to the government's reluctance to hold mining companies accountable. Obtaining remedies through courts has also yielded limited success. We, therefore, make a case for the creation of African environmental reparations and submit that the Mpumalanga Highveld region evidences the need for such reparations. African environmental reparations must be guided by the principles of Ubuntu, bolstered by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and employ restorative justice. Only in this way can air pollution be properly acknowledged as a multifarious harm, and the balance, harmony and unity between people and the environment repaired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The article aims to explore the transformative journey of AcmeTech Manufacturing, a fictional company influenced by real-life events, from environmental negligence to adopting sustainable and responsible business practices. By examining AcmeTech's strategic communication and sustainability initiatives, the study seeks to highlight the importance of integrating sustainability within global supply chains and the role of strategic communication in building stakeholder trust and achieving corporate sustainability goals. Design/methodology/approach: This research adopts a case study methodology, focusing on AcmeTech Manufacturing as a representative example. The case study approach allows for an in-depth exploration of AcmeTech's challenges, strategies and outcomes in its pursuit of corporate sustainability. Drawing from real-life events, the study delves into the company's transformation, its commitment to transparent communication and its efforts to incorporate sustainable practices within its global supply chains. Findings: AcmeTech Manufacturing, once criticized for its environmental negligence, has embarked on a comprehensive sustainability journey. Recognizing the erosion of stakeholder trust due to past actions, the company has prioritized transparent and strategic communication of its sustainability efforts. AcmeTech's commitment extends beyond internal changes, emphasizing the importance of its global supply chains in its overall environmental impact. By adopting a Cooperative Advantage approach, rooted in the philosophy of ubuntu, AcmeTech not only addresses its environmental challenges but also strives to become a leader in sustainable manufacturing practices. Originality/value: The article offers a unique perspective by combining the concepts of strategic communication and corporate sustainability within the context of global supply chains. Using the fictional case of AcmeTech Manufacturing, influenced by real-world scenarios, the study introduces the Cooperative Advantage approach, rooted in the African philosophy of ubuntu. This approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of all stakeholders, promoting a people-centered strategy to sustainability, making the article a novel contribution to the discourse on corporate sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the lead precursors to unstable local governance in the contemporary South Africa pertains to the embedded culture of political patronage. It is believed that the provisions added to the newly amended version of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 3 of 2022, which among other things, limits the political rights of officials, will somehow counter the existing patronage patterns. While this Amendment Act is a step in the right direction in as far as professionalisation of the local government sector is concerned, the question that this article attempts to answer is: will this attempt to insulate officials from politics result in stable municipal administrations, ethical conduct, professionalism, service delivery and less political interference? In addition, what are the ramifications that political parties are likely to encounter as a result of the curtailed political rights of their members? One of the findings is that the inserted changes are going to destabilise, firstly, the intra-party arrangements at political level, and secondly, will uproot elements of favouritism, nepotism and to some extent frustrate the existing culture of patronage in municipalities. However, it must be acknowledged that this is not going to be easy, given the damage already done such as bloated organograms, and the practice of cadre deployment which is facilitated by ruling parties in councils. With local government being at the coalface of service delivery and development, professionalisation is crucial but there is also a need to cultivate and encourage a strong ethos and philosophy of praxis underpinned by Ubuntu, the African philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates the moral implications of two leading theories on biodiversity preservation/conservation (Paul Taylor's biocentric egalitarianism and J. Baird Callicott's holistic communitarianism). Taylor argues for the moral equality of all members of the Earth's community of life, calling for an ethic of respect for nature to conserve biodiversity. Callicott argues for the moral consideration of ecosystems to maintain their integrity, stability, and beauty. The article makes two major claims. First, we need a plausible account of moral egalitarianism to disrupt ethical anthropocentrism. Second, the ethics of respect for nature requires a critical bottom‐up character‐based ethical theory to be morally forceful. These missing elements are central to the ubuntu philosophy about personhood and are significant for enriching egalitarian‐communitarian solutions to biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of cosmos unity is not recent. It has been proposed from various viewpoints throughout human history as the locus of life. To begin with, the African worldview of Ubuntu tells the story of life from the experience of a cosmic perspective that upholds the primacy of the community and asserts that a truly fulfilling and complete life is attainable only by those who belong to the cosmic whole. There is no 'I' without 'we'; "Because we are, I am". And, unless the "I" belongs to "we", there is no life, biological or ancestral, after death. On its part, Paul's cosmology, generally understood as proposing a two/three-tiered cosmos, has a different viewpoint when seen from a closer look. Even if he would have agreed with his religious ancestors that sin had divided reality and that diastema is to blame for the cosmos fragmentation, Paul still recounts the story of a cosmic whole. His theology of reconciliation makes that unity more evident when he suggests that through Christ, the cosmos is reconciled, and life is restored. To belong to the cosmic whole is to be reconciled with God and have eternal life. From a third perspective, today's new cosmological investigations have uncovered the unfolding story of the grand unity and complexity of the universe, which is the only locus of life known to humanity. In this universe of connectivity and entanglement, one can scientifically appreciate the absence of fragments and observe the complexified unity of all things indispensable for living. These three stories reveal that togetherness and the experience of the cosmic whole are fundamental for life and the taste of eternal life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ubuntu philosophy and notions of otherness, this paper and refers to, but is not limited to, the South African experience. In a relatively humanising turn, Ubuntu draws our attention to wider forms of interdependence with all that surrounds us: the dead, the living and the yet unborn, the physical and social environment, what is closest to us and furthest from us, the visible and the invisible. In this world of neoliberal globalisation, ubuntu emerges as an ecopolitical alternative. It is a form of knowledge that makes us more humane. To explore the educational legacies of Post-Colonial Africa, the following questions were asked: in the field of peace education, do we have more to learn from the culture of the ruler or of the ruled? However, ubuntu philosophy potentially represents an invaluable contribution to the education of anew humanity capable of implementing perpetual peace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper considers the African communal ethic of Ubuntu as it is understood in the South African context. Its background and context and the various interpretations of this lived ethic in society and academia will be explored. According to Ubuntu, what is good is constituted by how one relates to others (affirming others, empathising, etc.). It is not an ethic that is purely governed by laws and the outcomes of actions. This paper considers the detrimental effect of gangsterism on prisoners' personal and social development in South African prisons and illustrates how the solidarity and identity of prisoners is merely an illusion that misguidedly resembles communal harmony or Ubuntu. Specifically, after pointing out how indigenous values in South Africa tend to prescribe honouring harmonious relationships, this paper will reveal how this approach to morality affects the way one understands prison conditions, prison relations and criminal justice. It advances that the values of Ubuntu have the potential to aid in prisoner rehabilitation and help prisoners stand against gang life in prison. This paper will suggest that the harmony found in Ubuntu has implications different from gang conformity. Lacking the space to systematically defend harmony as a fundamental value, it nonetheless urges theorists not to disregard it when considering prison transformation in South Africa. The intention of this study is not to demonstrate that Ubuntu is superior to the more popular Western moral theories in South Africa, but rather to tease out the implications of one plausible interpretation of Ubuntu and apply it to prison communities in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an emerging body of knowledge on the lived experiences of parenting a child with autism from a maternal perspective. Mothers' reactions to their children's autism diagnoses have been identified as a key factor influencing their children's long-term outcomes. Objectives: This qualitative study aimed to explore how South African mothers experience their children's autism diagnoses. Method: Telephonic interviews were conducted with 12 mothers from KwaZulu-Natal to understand their experiences prior, during and following their children's autism diagnoses. The data were analysed thematically according to the values of ubuntu , social support, culture, tradition, interpersonal relationships, interconnectedness and continuity and compared to the existing scholarship, employing an Afrocentric theoretical lens. Results: The participants held strong cultural and religious beliefs which influenced the entire diagnosis process. Some, who waited a long time, turned to traditional healers or religious leaders. While some reported feeling relieved after the diagnosis, in the sense of at least having a name for their child's condition, they also reported feeling overwhelmed by the realisation that there is no cure for autism. Over time, mothers' feelings of guilt and anxiety declined, and they became increasingly resilient and empowered as their understanding of the meaning of their children's autism diagnosis deepened, but many continued to pray for a miracle. Conclusion: Future research should focus on how to enhance support for mothers and their children during each of the three phases of autism diagnosis: prior, during and following their children's autism diagnoses. Contribution: The study highlighted the crucial role of community-based religious and cultural organisations in providing appropriate support to mothers and their children diagnosed with autism, aligned to the values of ubuntu , social support, culture, tradition, interpersonal relationships, interconnectedness and continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although international business (IB) and international management (IM) research focusing on the African context has risen steadily in recent years, understanding of the genesis and evolution of this burgeoning corpus of literature is still limited. To address this gap, we quantify and evaluate 2 decades of Africa-focused research published in leading IB and IM journals by mapping publishing trends; offering insights into sample characteristics; and highlighting prominent theories, research design, and significant data analysis techniques employed in Africa-focused publications. We augment the insights gleaned from this systematic endeavor with a bibliometric analysis, which includes analyzing citation records, authorship patterns, and the underlying conceptual and intellectual evolution of this literature. The findings indicate that Africa-focused IB and IM research from 2002 to 2021 has coalesced around four major thematic clusters: (1) economic structures, institutional practices, and corporate social responsibility; (2) the Ubuntu philosophy and management strategies; (3) entrepreneurship; and (4) corporate governance. Building on these foundational themes, we propose distinct research directions for future researchers interested in studying the African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Learner indiscipline has emerged as a global cause for concern for educators and parents in the 21st century. This study sought to develop a framework for the successful implementation of positive discipline. The study sought to provide answers revolving around the contributing factors towards learner indiscipline, the effects of indiscipline on teaching and learning, educators' perceptions on positive discipline, factors leading to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline and the constituents of an effective framework for implementing positive discipline. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative approach. Districts were identified utilising convenience sampling, while participants were sampled purposively. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Six schools from two districts in the Mpumalanga Province were selected as the study sample. The sample comprised twenty-four participants, including principals, class teachers, Life Orientation teachers, and chairpersons of School Governing Bodies from each school. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data and present the findings. Results: The findings revealed that learner indiscipline is affected by several contributing factors such as family situation, community setting, human rights, peer pressure, educators, and learners themselves. Lack of stakeholder engagement, absence of training, overemphasis on learners' rights and conditioning of educators and parents on corporal punishment are the factors that have led to the ineffective implementation of positive discipline. Discussion:To ensure the implementation of positive discipline is successful, a framework should support a multi-stakeholder consideration to engagement. Ubuntu values should be incorporated in re-packaging the positive discipline toolkit so that it suits the local context. Limitations: Only two education districts in one province of South Africa formed part of the study. Conclusions: Educators are to adopt a revised curriculum that accommodates positive discipline and Ubuntu values in related subjects taught in school. Effective implementation requires regular monitoring, evaluation and reviewing of the positive discipline approach. The study proposed an Afrocentric framework for the implementation of positive discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the presidential announcement of Zimbabwe's harmonized 2023 electoral date, most Christian, African Traditional, and other religious leaders commendably resumed advocating for peaceful, free, and fair elections. However, as history usually repeats itself, the tables eventually turned. Some of the leaders regressively became divided, submitted to political infiltration, aligned themselves with oppressive politicians, betrayed their fellow leaders as well as God and humanity, and inadvertently supported totalitarianism. By employing Richard Osmer's practical theological methodology and engaging with the existing literature, this paper reviewed the (dis)unity and (dis)engagement between Christian and African Traditional Religious (ATR) leaders. It also endeavored to address the underlying (dis)connections in view of Jesus Christ's all-encompassing servant leadership model, diaconal mission, and the African Ubuntu philosophy. Observing that Zimbabwean religious leaders are retrogressively divided by their varying spiritualities, leadership styles, and political orientations, it is recommended to embrace inclusivity and unity amidst diversity. This can be achieved by resisting selfishness and promoting selflessness, unconditional love, generosity, hospitality, tolerance, peace-making, justice, and social cohesion. These values collectively play a role in the democratization of Zimbabwe and are imperative for its advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars frequently allude to the concept of a supportive extended family system that provides a lifeline to less privileged members of society, such as the indigent and the aged. Yet, the extended family and the network of support it enables have come under immense threat from neoliberalism. This article examines the constrained role of the extended family system and its implications, based on residential ethnographic fieldwork data gathered in rural northwestern Ghana. It draws on transnational discourses on empathy and local conceptions of interdependence and unity as encapsulated by African communitarian philosophies such as Ubuntu and Te jaa bonyeni of the Waala people of northwestern Ghana to explore how to generate empathy. Neoliberal individualist values have intensely undermined the support networks of the extended family system. Te jaa bonyeni philosophy, similar to Ubuntu , and many humanistic philosophies, offers important opportunities for reinvigorating debates on African indigenous support networks as important steps towards nurturing affective empathy. This study contributes to discourses on affective empathy by connecting it to communitarianism. Cultivating empathy is necessary towards imagining forms of existence that are dignifying for the marginalized and preventing them from descending into abysmal deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, corporate social investment (CSI) is deployed as part of Broad‐Based Black Economic Empowerment (B‐BBEE) to assist and empower disadvantaged individuals and communities. Previous research revealed that CSI projects are often short‐lived and unsustainable. This study aims to analyze the impact of South African CSI projects that focus on information and communication technology (ICT) in poor urban communities. A case study was conducted comprising four CSI ICT learning centers in poor urban communities in Soweto, South Africa. An indigenous theoretical construct was developed, in the form of a systems framework, combining aspects of soft systems methodology (SSM), Ubuntu philosophy and autopoiesis. The aim of the systems framework was to study the impact of the CSI ICT learning centers in a holistic manner. The framework contributed as follows: the descriptive components of SSM assisted to describe the social systems of interest, in each case. The ubuntu lens helped to portray how the community members supported each other to benefit from the learning centers. Autopoiesis elements showed how the learning centers were able to self‐produce and collaborate in order to be sustainable. With the insight of the framework, six guiding principles were derived to inform the successful implementation of future CSI ICT interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When conducting research, it is fundamentally important to adhere to universal ethical principles with the intent to minimise harm and maximise benefits. This is not always relevant as these principles are based on the Western way of doing things. In Western culture, the focus of ethics is mainly on individualism and this value undermines the essence of ubuntu. However, in the South African context, the individual is always seen in relation to significant others, meaning that relational philosophies need to inform context-specific ethics in these communities. This paper aims to advocate for the utilisation of contextually relevant ethical principles to embrace diverse South African contexts. The paper is based on the author's reflexive practice in conducting research in South Africa's rural areas. The reflection focuses on the researcher's dilemma in implementing universal ethical principles in a rural South African context. The paper highlights congruent ethical approaches in a diverse African context guided by relational ethics which is grounded in ubuntu principles. The approaches ensure that researchers remain ethical by embracing ubuntu principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International migrants, particularly those migrating between and among developing countries (South-South migration), continue to experience increased vulnerabilities as social services in host countries are inadequate. Using the Person in Environment (PiE) framework, the study explored coping strategies adopted by Malawian migrants living in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with Malawian migrants (n = 24), and key stakeholders (n = 5). Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using NVivo12. Migrants expressed reliance on self-help attitudes by remaining focused on their goals and staying positive. Participants used social support through informal networks (family, friends, and neighbors) including Malawian migrant social groups. Migrants also expressed dependence on the church and international aid organizations for informational support and to leverage national-level resources. Most importantly, the Ubuntu cultural philosophy provided them with the strength to stick together and support one another in the face of adversaries. These findings underscored the need for national policies that support underserved populations with resources to build networks of communities of coping that can reduce the risk of health threats during pandemics. Further research, on the provision of social services, and with a more diverse population of South-South migrants living in South Africa, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) of Zimbabwe (2000–2002) has been studied from economic perspectives that emphasise inequalities between landowners and the black majority. Other studies have focused on the violence engendered in the process of reclaiming land. Critical questions have not been raised about the sense of justice, and sensitivity to human lives lost, during the process of land takeovers. Hardened ideological positions of both white landowners and the nationalists over land can be considered to have led to extra-judicial killings, corruption, and loss of livelihoods for land owners and their farm labourers. This article applies the concept of Ubuntu to measure what was lost in terms of humaneness, prospects for true reconciliation, and compensatory and distributive justice from a process that emphasised violence over dialogue. Secondary, internet sources and limited interviews were used to gauge people's perceptions of the manner of the FTLRP due to land restorative processes that to violate the very idea of dialogue to resolve conflicts encouraged in the philosophy of Ubuntu. The article provides recommendations of what could have been done to preserve the essential elements of Ubuntuism that put value on the otherness of the other persons in any situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the discussion on methodological decolonisation in business ethics research by illustrating how local epistemologies can shape methodology. Historically, business ethics research has been dominated by Western methodologies, which have been argued to be restrictive and limit contextually relevant theorising in non-Western contexts. Over the past decade, scholarship has called for more diversity in research methods and epistemologies. This paper regards arguments founded along neatly divided universalist versus contextualised methodologies as a false dilemma. Instead, we explore how ubuntu, a sub-Saharan African epistemology, can contribute as a complementary epistemology and methodology to interpretivism when conducting business ethics research in sub-Saharan Africa. The paper discusses four aspects—research agenda, access, power relations, and context-sensitive methods—that highlight practical ways in which ubuntu epistemology, with its communitarian and relational underpinnings, can enhance business ethics research. We illustrate that methodological decolonisation can be achieved by fusing relevant elements of local epistemologies and methodologies and conventional methodologies to generate context-relevant research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I interrogate the concept of othering by foregrounding xenophobia, which has been 'trending' since the dawn of democracy in South Africa. I use lived experiences to assert that xenophobia is not confined to tussles between 'foreign' nationals and South African -citizens but also manifests as 'local xenophobia' where South African citizens from 'elsewhere' in the country are maligned by 'locals' in areas to which they migrate. To underscore the ubiquitous and multifaceted nature of othering, and because it resonates with literature on -xenophobia, I discuss sobriquets/nicknames as one example among various manifestations of otherness. Furthermore, I contend that self-subjugation as an unconscious process is, possibly, the pillar of othering and, that every human is a tacit or overt otherer. In conclusion, I assert that Ubuntu as an architectonic capability should be redefined and used to drive collective human efforts towards addressing othering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary world faces a moral crisis affecting various spheres of life, such as the community, the family and the school. In light of this view, it is noted that the secondary school learners in Lesotho are not immune from the escalating immorality. The study, therefore, sought to explore the indigenous strategies that could reinforce moral education among the learners. The study departed from an African indigenous perspective and solicited teachers' views regarding the indigenous strategies that may reinforce moral education among secondary school learners. The Botho/Ubuntu philosophy was thus applied as the over-arching theoretical framework. A qualitative research method was adopted, and data were gathered through an open-ended questionnaire and semistructured interviews. Twenty-eight purposively selected Lesotho secondary school teachers took part in the study. The findings suggested that community-based, schoolbased, lifestyle-changing strategies such as abstinence from immoral urges, e.g. sexual intercourse can reinforce moral education among Lesotho secondary school learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While COVID-19 affected all segments of the population, vulnerable social groups, including international students, were disproportionately affected. The primary objective of this study was to explore COVID-19-related experiences of African international graduate students (AIGS). Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 AIGS. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Participants reported experiencing fear of the virus and anxiety about their health and their family members (individual), feelings of isolation and depression because of reduced social engagement and lack of familial support (interactional), dealing with workrestrictive student visas, and loss of work opportunities (environmental/structural). The person-in-environment (PIE) and Ubuntu philosophy were useful lenses to understand the findings in the context of COVID-19 given its sociocultural connection to AIGS. Understanding the experiences of AIGS can help inform better approaches, including institutional and national policy changes, to support not only AIGS but also vulnerable international students during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]