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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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Many popular artificial intelligence (AI) ethics frameworks center the principle of autonomy as necessary in order to mitigate the harms that might result from the use of AI within society. These harms often disproportionately affect the most marginalized within society. In this paper, we argue that the principle of autonomy, as currently formalized in AI ethics, is itself flawed, as it expresses only a mainstream mainly liberal notion of autonomy as rational self-determination, derived from Western traditional philosophy. In particular, we claim that the adherence to such principle, as currently formalized, does not only fail to address many ways in which people's autonomy can be violated, but also to grasp a broader range of AI-empowered harms profoundly tied to the legacy of colonization, and which particularly affect the already marginalized and most vulnerable on a global scale. To counter such a phenomenon, we advocate for the need of a relational turn in AI ethics, starting from a relational rethinking of the AI ethics principle of autonomy that we propose by drawing on theories on relational autonomy developed both in moral philosophy and Ubuntu ethics. [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]

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]

The book "Education, Crisis, and Philosophy: Ubuntu within Higher Education" edited by Yusef Waghid explores the problems that have arisen in education, particularly in higher education, due to the shift to online learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The author draws on the philosophical ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche to discuss educational philosophy and highlights the concept of Ubuntu, which emphasizes interconnectedness and justice, as a potential solution to the educational crisis. The book also addresses issues such as corruption, competition, and the impact of the crisis on the economy. The author suggests improving the quality of human resources through free university education and promoting Ubuntu as a means of resolving the crisis. Overall, the book offers new perspectives on education in Africa and proposes solutions to the challenges faced in the field. [Extracted from the article]

In Africa, refusal of COVID-19 and other vaccines is widespread for different reasons, including disbelief in the existence of the virus itself and faith in traditional remedies. In sub-Saharan countries, refusal is often made worse by opposition to vaccines by the religious establishments. This is a pressing problem, as Africa has the highest vaccine-avoidable mortality rate for children under the age of five in the world. Dialogue between those wishing to promote vaccines and those who resist them is essential if the situation is to be improved. This article argues that Western and other aid agencies seeking to promote vaccination programs need to develop a dialogue with resisters, and in this process to embrace and commend the ancient African philosophical tradition of Ubuntu, incorporating it into these programs as a way to overcome such entrenched resistance. The paper concludes with concrete recommendations for how to accomplish this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this conceptual essay, I argue that radical hope can be fostered through literacies of timeless learning based on student-created literature in literacy and English language arts classrooms as an endeavor of soul education, allowing teachers and youth to cultivate a literate language of the soul. Drawing on tenets of soul education and its interconnections with affect theory and Ubuntu as an African spirituality, I describe how literacy and English language arts teachers working with predominantly Black middle-school youth connected their histories, backgrounds, stories, and understandings while engaging with literature created by their students. I argue that exploring literacies of timeless learning to foster radical hope through cultivating a literate language of the soul can allow educators to look beyond the material level and reach the spirit of the child. Radical hope through literacy/ELA is possible to the degree that teachers and educators commit to cultivating a literate language of the soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the challenges involved in developing solidarity during pandemics. We draw from the field of economics, social psychology, political psychology and organisational theory to understand and explain how decision-makers and actors think and behave during pandemics. We argue that the rational action theory (RAT) and identity politics are the 'rationalities' that underpin global efforts used to establish solidarity. We see these mindsets as obstacles to addressing pandemics, which show no respect for geographical or genealogical borders. As an alternative, we explore how African philosophy of Ubuntu can offer another rationality in developing solidarity during pandemics. We propose an analytical tool to assess how nation-states might react when called to display solidarity during pandemics and how the international community can bring them on board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IR scholars and analysts often view the African Union's apparent deference to common positions with a collectivist lens. However, in this article, I argue that the legend of common African positions (CAPs) has not yet been animated, as African leaders do not always work collectively for structural and political reasons. Two significant factors complicate analysing Africa's IR in Africa: first, Africa is not a monolith. With fifty-five states and numerous linguistic, cultural, and historical paths, there is more that is different than is the same. Second, conventional IR theories are rooted in Global North worldviews and are, therefore, not the most appropriate tool to study African countries' collective decision-making. I focus on the United Nations as the site where the Africa Group's successes and failures are saliently illustrated, specifically the Ezulwini Consensus. The Africa Group's contestation within the various UN bodies, particularly with the UN Peace and Security Council, where they have long lobbied for representation, underscores the strength and structural obstacles to Africa's collective action. Taking an interpretative approach and analysing from an epistemological and normative level, I offer an alternative lens through which to view the CAPs. Leaning on the philosophies of Ubuntu and Ujamaa , I propose a framework to explore the African Union's process of developing common positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global South education practices remain at large monolingual, despite the rich repositories of local ways of knowing and being. Translanguaging, as a field of study, has come a step further towards decolonising language classrooms and offering teachers agency and learners deeper access to knowledge. However, interpretations of this phenomenon are still linguistic based on traditional bilingual education programmes. In this paper, we explore what translanguaging means for Brazil and South Africa, aiming to draw together an account of multilingualism based on the local cultural competencies. By considering African sociolinguistic and Brazilian contexts that predate European colonialism, we draw on the indigenous cultural repertoires of these countries to counter colonial and unquestioned assumptions pertaining to multilingual education in both countries. We apply and reposition the theory of ubuntu translanguaging to make a case for decolonisation within and outside of translanguaging discourses. Additionally, useful pedagogic recommendations for teaching literacy from the ubuntu perspective are provided for adaptation in related contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex experiences of Black Tax in contemporary South Africa. It specifically seeks to understand whether Black Tax as a form of cultural re-interpretation of Ubuntu philosophy can be seen as a form of cultural emancipation or alienation. Black Tax is a colloquial term that describes experiences of family support in Southern Africa and thus in a highly unequal and formerly colonized context. By combining a theoretical lens of coloniality with omnivorousness, it draws out particular perspectives across the relationship between culture and power by drawing out three domains: 'the traditional', 'the modern', and 'the navigation across'. The debate is informed by 26 essays written by South Africans on the subject matter. It highlights inequality as an internal conflict when navigating processes of emancipation and assimilation from African to Western values within the intimate space of family relationships. In that, it shows the lived reality and complexity when individuals negotiate their positionality, practice, and belonging. More broadly, it further proposes that contemporary political stances on capitalism and socialism remain colonial, thereby overlooking moral theories and philosophies from contexts of the global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focusses on ubuntu and mourning rituals practised in the Tsonga culture. Tsonga cultures and rituals have been proclaimed as being different from province to province with a few similarities. The rituals referred to in this research do not however encompass the belief systems of all Tsonga people in South Africa. This study discusses ubuntu in the Tsonga context and how they partake in the processes of bereavement, grieving, mourning, death rituals, mourning practice and unveiling of the tombstone. This article addresses some challenges and the theme of liturgical inculturation in the Tsonga mourning processes. The study also addresses the necessary liturgical aggiornamento needed in the Tsonga mourning processes. It covers the social and religious aspects of the process Ubuntu and mourning practices in the Tsonga culture. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The contextual perspective challenged by this research is the understanding of ubuntu and mourning rituals of the Tsonga people in accordance with their culture. This research made use of a literature review based on mourning rituals, which solidifies this research as a study within Practical Theology because it is a liturgical inculturation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, student support mechanisms focus almost exclusively on academically 'under-performing' students, especially as insofar as academic development practices are concerned. This article makes a case for a shift in approach. Using the context of one country, South Africa, we sought to better understand the strengths that academically high-performing students (AHSs) employ in order to succeed. We drew on a conceptual lens based on Bandura’s theory of the self. Data was collected by means of document analysis, individual interviews and focus group interviews with ten (n = 10) purposively selected academically high-performing fourth-year undergraduate students in a school of education at one university. The findings show that beyond typical family and institutional factors, the students’ capability of effecting change through intentional and cognitive agentic influences is critical to their success. Importantly though, in finding their self-agentic capabilities, some found mutual support with and for peers who shared in their passion for success. This asserts the relevance of Ubuntu as a concept that underpins the understanding of ‘self’ in this context. The findings are important for theory in problematising Bandura’s self-agentic theory and expounding its application to peer learning support. It is also important for practice because understanding the AHSs’ negotiation of self-agency brings refreshing insight to the student success conundrum. Practitioner Notes • Student success in university is complex and required multi-pronged approach to academic support for enhancing success • Academically high-performing students also have academic support need to enhance their success • Academically high-performing students assert self-agency in collective-self dynamic to meet their academic support need • Student academic support experiences need to be inclusive and strength-based to benefit all students • Ubuntu offers an epistemic frame to rethink student academic support praxis in the context of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance learning in South Africa has been experiencing occurrences of low student throughput and retention. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to explore possible strategies for sustained learning. Framed by Ubuntu as its theoretical perspective, the researchers discovered valuable insights through a methodological literature review and an empirical inquiry. Eight undergraduate students reflected on their distance learning experiences and challenges and suggested strategies for sustained learning. From an interpretivist research paradigm supported by a qualitative research approach, the study used a case study to conduct semi-structured interviews to gather data at an open distance learning institution in South Africa. The findings indicate that distance education institutions should provide sufficient learning support, conduct surveys to determine student challenges and needs, improve communication with students, develop a hotline, provide financial aid to all disadvantaged students, provide psychological help, ensure timely delivery of study material, and explore different methods to deliver learning content to diverse students. The study has policy and practice implications, arguing that Ubuntu's values should be considered when drafting policy and implementing strategies to support students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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