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Ubuntu From Concept To Practice: Gleaning Lessons For Global Citizenship And Governance

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Ubuntu refers to a traditional African concept commonly expressed in the phrase “I am because we are.” It therefore relates to an understanding of shared identity, and potentially galvanizes collaborative actions towards the common good. Given this, could Ubuntu be of value in addressing the collective challenges faced at a global level? The following study seek to answer this question. Moreover, it explores conceptualizations of Ubuntu, examines its applications within the South Africa context and then considers its (potential) relevance to global citizenship and global governance. This is undertaken through a review of current literature and an analysis of semi-structured interviews involving participants from academia, politics, civil service and the NGO sector. The research finds Ubuntu to be a cultural value system, analogous to a broad humanism, which informs both collective and individual identity and action. The concept also appears to have influenced South African public life in variety of ways, from decision-making (‘consensus-building’) to policy development to restorative justice initiatives. Furthermore, an emergence of Ubuntu within certain global discourses (such as debates around universal human rights and global governance reform) can, indeed, be observed. Finally, on the basis of these findings, an attempt is made to fashion a global citizenship/governance framework of analysis. Limitations of the framework are then considered, followed by a brief discussion around the need for further research in this area.
... Adam, the first human in the Abrahamic traditions, is derived from 'Adamah', meaning soil in Hebrew" [22]. The African wisdom perspective of Ubuntu has similarities with Indigenous notions in North America, which can be translated as "I am because we are" [23], or "I am a person by virtue of other persons" [24]. As Elkington argued, "This communal focus of Ubuntu has radical implications for how a person might relate to other persons, and to the planet" [25]. ...
... So, what is required is an attitude of openness towards alternative ways of experiencing the self, and the world or what Boaventura de Sousa Santos calls the "epistemologies of the South" [26]. These general philosophical and sociological orientations rooted in indigenous beliefs contradict the Cartesian view of nature (nature as an inert object) [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Thus, by embracing diverse cultural and epistemological notions, new insights can be gained, the understanding of our very selfhood can be redefined, and actions oriented towards planetary health goals can be sparked, aiming to create a positive shared future for all. ...
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... Ubuntu has similarities with Indigenous notions of leadership in North America (Elkington, 2020;Julien et al., 2010). The term "ubuntu" originates from the Xhosa expression umuntu ngumuntu ngabanye Bantu (Le Grange, 2012), which can be translated as "I am because we are" (Volmink, 2010), or "I am a person by virtue of other persons" (Dreyer, 2015). As Elkington (2020, p. 48) argued, "This communal focus of Ubuntu has radical implications for how a person might relate to other persons, and to the planet." ...
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