Understanding Ubuntu for Enhancing Intercultural Communications PDF Download

Author: Mukuni, Joseph
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799879496
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 299

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Book Description
Given the importance of cross-cultural competence, it is important that scholars from different parts of the world describe the conceptual frameworks underlying their cultures to provide people with knowledge helpful for understanding and navigating cultural barriers and promoting harmony and productivity in places of work. The literature is replete with reference points for understanding Eurocentric worldviews. Little has been written about non-Eurocentric worldviews with respect to the subject of socio-cultural harmony and interpersonal relations such as Ubuntu, Africa’s indigenous philosophy and its relevancy. This philosophy teaches the importance of maintaining good human relations and sensitivity to the wellbeing of other people both as individuals and collectively. In the teachings of this African conceptual framework, the wellbeing of others is more important than that of self. Another important distinguishing feature of Ubuntu is that it places great value on communalism as opposed to individualism. The tenets of Ubuntu include human-centeredness, teamwork, collaboration, cooperation, respect for diversity of opinion, and joint consideration of problems. These tenets can be applied for intercultural competence and communications. Understanding Ubuntu for Enhancing Intercultural Communications sheds some light on Ubuntu, Africa’s unique philosophy, and explores how the knowledge of Ubuntu can help minimize cross-cultural communication barriers. Within this context, the chapters work to make readers aware of the existence of an African worldview, specifically Ubuntu, and its possible contribution to interpersonal communication. This book also shares the lived experiences of being born and raised in sub-Saharan Africa where Ubuntu is a way of life. This book is essential for businesses seeking to expand internationally and managers overseeing diverse workforces as well as business executives, government officials, public relations officers, academicians, researchers, and students including those studying African studies, world religions, international business, international relations, management, communication, and more.

Author: Fred Dervin
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031407806
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 110

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Book Description
This book provides answers to the following questions: How could visual art support us in reflecting about interculturality critically? When we look at, engage with and experience art, what is it that we can learn, unlearn and relearn about interculturality? The book adds to the multifaceted and multidisciplinary field of intercultural communication education by urging those working on the notion of interculturality (researchers, scholars and students) to give art a place in exploring its complexities. No knowledge background about art (theory) is needed to work through the chapters. The book helps us reflect on ourselves and on our engagement with the world and with others, and learn to ask questions about these elements. The authors draw on anthropology, linguistics, philosophy and sociology to enrich their discussions of critical interculturality.

Author: Janestic Mwende Twikirize
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000965597
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Book Description
This book addresses a recurrent gap in social work literature by examining Ubuntu as an Indigenous African philosophy that informs social work beyond the largely residual and individualistic conceptualisation of social work that currently prevails in many contexts. Owing to the lack of social work theories, models and generally, literature that is locally and contextually relevant, most social work lecturers based in African context, struggle to access learning materials and texts that centre local indigenous voices and worldviews. It is within this context that the ubuntu philosophy has gained traction. There is increasing consensus that Ubuntu as an African philosophy and way of life, has the potential to be used as a decolonising framework for social work education and practice. Theorising from Ubuntu can influence and be the foundation for African social work theory and knowledge, social work values and ethics, social work research and policy, and Ubuntu informing different fields of social work practice like social work with older people, children and young people, ubuntu and poverty alleviation, ubuntu and the environment, among others. Drawing together social workers engaged in education, research, policy, practice, to theorise Ubuntu and its tenets, philosophies, and values, this book shows how it can be a foundation for a decolonised, more relevant social work education and practice in African contexts.

Author: Oliver Mutanga
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000995941
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 163

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Book Description
This book uses Ubuntu philosophy to illuminate the voices of people with disabilities from Sub-Saharan Africa. Disability literature is largely dominated by scholars and studies from the Global North, and these studies are largely informed by Global North theories and concepts. Although disability literature in the Global South is now fast growing, most studies continue to utilise conceptual, theoretical, and philosophical frameworks that are framed within Global North contexts. This presents two major challenges: Firstly, the voices of people with disabilities in the Global South remain on the fringes of disability discourses. Secondly, when their voices are heard, their realities are distorted. This edited book, consisting of 11 chapters, provides case studies from Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Uganda, and South Africa, explores disability in various fields: Inclusive education, higher education, environment, Open Distance Learning, and Technical and Vocational Education and Technical Colleges. The book contributes to the ways in which disability is understood and experienced in the Global South thereby challenging the Western hegemonic discourses on disability. This collection of contributions will be of interest to all scholars and students of disability studies, development studies, medical sociology, and African studies.

Author: Toni Fuss Kirkwood-Tucker
Publisher: IAP
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 425

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Book Description
The significance of this book is its uniqueness. First, the book contains a collection of fourteen chapters that capture the personal, professional, and historical experiences of international global scholars and artists to which they were subjected in their native country and after they immigrated to the United States. What makes this book project highly unusual in comparison to other publications is that these international global scholars and artists experienced historical events of trauma and joy in their native country and in their newly adopted country of the United States that lie deeply buried in their sub-consciousness; that these memories are unforgettable and still painful for them; that these memories are a constant companion in their daily lives; and that the experienced historical events of trauma and joy have shaped their professional and personal lives to this very day. There exists a paucity in the global education literature of this far-reaching topic and, thus, it has the potential to enhance and diversify the global education literature. Second, the significance of this book lies in the pedagogical power of the oral history narrative tradition and its impact on students at the secondary and tertiary levels in education. When one’s lived experiences of trauma or joy occur during a critical time in history, they rarely yield unforgotten memories and deeply held private knowledge that do not come to light without a storyteller. When first-hand accounts are shared publicly, they can bring powerful insights into past historic events to the very presence. Thus, the pedagogical strength of this book contributes to knowledge creation in the classroom as oral histories move students from abstract textbook descriptions to concrete and compelling “lived” stories associated with historical happenings. This pedagogy leads students to become more critical of historical events of the past and develops in them a deeper understanding of the past. Consequently, oral history narratives enable teachers and teacher educators to enrich the abstract text of textbooks with the authentic voice of the individual. A third significance of this book lies embedded in the rich historical perspective displayed by storytellers of non-native international global scholars and artists from around the world who portray their lived-through, first-hand experiences such as child labor, communism, hate, hunger, fascism, fear, intolerance, discrimination, prejudice, poverty, war, protest, and death. Finally, a major purpose of this book is to expose young learners from around the world to empowering non-native international role models in global education and the arts from nations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eurasia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America who build bridges—not walls—between peoples and nations.

Author: Barreto, Isabel María Gómez
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799872858
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 468

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Book Description
Migration movements have been a constant in the societies of the past, as well as in postmodern society. However, in the past ten years, the increase in political, economic, and religious conflict amongst nations; the increase of the poverty index; and many and various natural disasters have duplicated the forced displacement of millions of people across the seven continents of the planet. This situation brings important challenges in terms of the vulnerability, inequity, and discrimination that certain peoples suffer. Professionals from the fields of the social sciences, education, psychology, and international law share the fact that education represents an opportunity for children and young migrants to become members with full rights in the societies they arrive in. Empirical studies show that that the implementation of the right to education for migrants presents some challenges and dilemmas to the governments of host countries and more specifically to the education centers, NGOs, universities, and the professionals working in them, hence the need for more research on these issues of immigration, refugees, social justice, and intercultural education. The Handbook of Research on Promoting Social Justice for Immigrants and Refugees Through Active Citizenship and Intercultural Education provides visibility to issues such as the increase in migration and displacement and the difficulties in political agreements, educational contexts, and in cultural issues, stigmatization, vulnerability, social exclusion, racism, and hatred amongst host communities. This book gives possible solutions to this current complex situation and helps foster and promote sensitivity, perspective, and critical thinking for a respectful and tolerant coexistence and promotion of equity and social justice. The chapters promote cultural diversity and inclusion in classrooms by offering knowledge, strategies, and research on organizational development for educational institutions and multicultural environments. This book is essential for administrators, policymakers, leaders, teachers, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the promotion of social justice in education for immigrants and refugees.

Author: Smith, Clayton
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1799889238
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 471

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Book Description
As the world moves toward an integrated global society, it is essential for teachers to understand the potential cultural and linguistic differences present in students. Many classrooms have accidentally made themselves exclusionary through rigid instruction. Teaching strategies must be flexible to cater to a diverse range of students. By catering to a wider range of students, the education system grows more inclusive, and a higher volume of educated citizens are produced. The Handbook of Research on Teaching Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students explores the promising practices for teaching linguistically and culturally diverse international students within post-secondary educational institutions. This book presents student voice as it relates to student satisfaction and student perceptions of learning. Covering topics such as learning technology integration, student engagement, and instruction planning, it is an essential resource for faculty of higher education, university administration, preservice teachers, academicians, and researchers.

Author: Phil Bildner
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698149726
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
In a country struggling with acceptance, hope can come in many different forms. As a boy, Hector loved playing soccer in his small Johannesburg township. He dreamed of playing on a real pitch with the boys from another part of the city, but apartheid made that impossible. Then, in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and apartheid began to crumble. The march toward freedom in South Africa was a slow one, but when the beloved Bafana Bafana national soccer team won the African Cup of Nations, Hector realized that dreams once impossible could now come true. This poignant story of friendship artfully depicts a brief but critical moment in South Africa’s history and the unique role that sports can play in bringing people together.

Author: Jahid Siraz Chowdhury
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811978182
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 227

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Book Description
The book is about Ubuntu—loosely translated—I am because we are—or, our common humanity in Zulu, about Unity, and global solidarity. It proves again how alike and universal we are as societies across the globe despite this deadly pandemic. On a personal and social basis, each of the six chapters is a call to action to find commonality, and this is the third book of Jahid’s amelioration on Covid-19 Trilogy. And the Appendix is something special for the readership. Ubuntu tells us about the Indigenous healing keys: empathy, compromise, learning, non-violence, change, forgiveness, restorative justice, love, spirituality and hope. The book was written by a highly diverse team of contributors, both from the Global South and North, and is multidisciplinary in nature, and attempting of Commoning the Communities. The authors hail from the fields of social work, anthropology, and education, and have been working with local communities in the ongoing struggle to identify and address complicit oppression and inequalities. Offering a beacon of hope for today and tomorrow, the book will appeal to social science researchers, policy planners, and the general public alike

Author: Mfundo Mandla Masuku
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527589536
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 267

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Book Description
This book explores the circumstances surrounding state-provided, low-cost housing for people at the lower end of the housing market in Africa. It deploys Ubuntu philosophy to unpack the provision of housing security to citizens, arguing that interpreting housing rights within Ubuntu philosophy recognises the spirit of reciprocity and collective solidarity as fundamental to meeting the housing needs of low-income groups. In essence, the volume reflects on the values of Ubuntu and informs both policy and practice by guiding policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with the episteme of basic human rights and the Ubuntu philosophy. It pointedly grapples with issues that resonate with efforts by African governments to protect vulnerable citizens from multidimensional poverty, homelessness, gender-neutral policies, and self-help housing schemes. The book’s insights raise red flags concerning the realisation of Ubuntu as a vehicle earmarked to deliver adequate and sustainable housing delivery outcomes. The volume is a must-read for academics, researchers, practitioners, government officials, and leaders from various sectors.