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Hi all - coming late to this conversation... As one who based her Masters thesis (and some of her PhD) on Freire's work, I'd totally agree with the comments below. Alon's quote about the impossibility of teaching without the courage to love, truly resonates with me. Another author whose work speaks of the respect that appears inherent in /ubuntu/ and the dialogic methods of Freire is Parker J. Palmer, who wrote: "If we want to support each other’s inner lives, we must remember a simple truth: the human soul does not want to be fixed, it wants simply to be seen and heard. If we want to see and hear a person’s soul, there is another truth we must remember: the soul is like a wild animal – tough, resilient, and yet shy. When we go crashing through the woods shouting for it to come out so we can help it, the soul will stay in hiding. But if we are willing to sit quietly and wait for a while, the soul may show itself. We need ground rules for dialogue that allow us to be present to another person’s problems in a quiet, receptive way that encourages the soul to come forth, a way that does not presume to know what is right for the other but allows the other’s soul to find its own answers at its own level and pace." /Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach,1998:151/ Jack, thanks for the link to Mandela's clip on /ubuntu (/and congratulations on the invitation to speak!)//I think it's that clip that has finally reinforced for me how this concept is implemented. It seems very like the Maori concept described below: "Manaakitanga – nurturing relationships, looking after people and being very careful about how others are treated is a key component of Māori culture. The principles and values attached to it underpin all tikanga Māori [Maori ways of operating].. Manaakitanga is always considered important, no matter what the circumstances. Manaakitanga focuses on positive human behaviour and encourages people to rise above their personal attitudes and feelings towards others. The aim is to nurture relationships and to respect the mana ['pride', self esteem] of other people no matter what their standing in society may be. Being hospitable and looking after visitors is given high priority." (H. Mead, 2003) Thanks for the sharing all - may not have time to back-read the conversation but it looks to have been excellent. Warm regards Pip Bruce Ferguson On 19/05/2011 8:00 a.m., Alon Serper wrote: > Cynthia, > > I related in my thesis and my dialectical AR tool ontology, the > science of human existence pragmatically to therapy, catharsis, > well-being and ontological security. I approach human existence > through the human-all-too-human - that transcends race, ethnicity, > gender or age - aspiration and need to lead a life of greater > fulfilment, well-being, meaning and ontological security (thesis) and > less pain, angst, insecurity, frustration, void, exclusion and > alienation (anti-thesis). > > I love Fanon and have a postdoc interest in postcolonialism and > Critical Race Theory and education for democracy, equality, inclusion > and pluralism. I am working very hard now promoting my tool to fight > racism and discrimination and the understanding of their roots that I > myself regard as severe ontological insecurity, weakness and > complexities 'complexes' om the part of the racist. I came up with a > slogan to the anti- racism campaign: 'It is not you, it is me'. I > hope it highlights my view of racism as a severe case of ontological > insecurity and misery on the part of the racist. He/she needs to feel > superior and secure through discriminating the so-called > 'other/different'. Of course, the more he/she does so, the more > insecure, miserable and weak he/she becomes. > > I do hope you can read my thesis and relate it to your Fanon and CRT > aspired work. > > I am looking forward to it. Alon > > Quoting Jack Whitehead <[log in to unmask]>: > >> Dear All - Cynthia is having some problems posting to the list and >> has just asked me if I would post the following message: >> 5-16-11 >> Dear Jack: >> >> Thank you for keeping me included in the discussions which I feel >> are very enlightening. >> While in the midst of driving home from traffic yesterday I realized >> Alon raises an important issue concerning epistemology before >> ontology…I went back to page 64 of my dissertation D.O.O.R.S. OF >> CHANGE: CAPACITY BUILDING TO DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION (2009) which >> discusses ontology: >> >> “Four research paradigms are recognized in scientific inquiry. They >> are positivism, postpositivism, critical thinking and >> constructivism. These paradigms are classified according to >> ontology, epistemology and methodology. According to Guba (1990) >> ontology encompasses the nature of reality. Epistemology involves >> the characteristics of the relationship between the researcher and >> the item researched. Methodology refers to the manner in which the >> researcher find out knowledge (Guba, 1990).” >> >> Alon Seper’s theory is what I would label as Backwards Design Living >> Theory or Living Educational Theory which now makes sense to me. I >> plan to read Alon’s thesis and hope to further understand his >> viewpoint, which I believe I support as an African American educator >> because what do you do if the ontological beliefs of a person or >> group of people are distorted? >> >> Let me explain, I am a left-handed person. Years ago I studied the >> Arabic language which reads right to left, where the English >> language reads left to right. The right to left Arabic language >> reading seemed natural to me because I probably have left-spatial >> orientation as a left-handed person. I also studied calligraphy and >> had to for the first time use my right hand because the wet ink >> would smear if I used my left hand. (The left-handed pens did not >> work for me). >> >> So let us call ontology before epistemology the Left to Right theory >> and epistemology before ontology that Alon brings up the Backwards >> Design Living Theory or Living Educational Theory. >> >> Another way of looking at what I call the Backwards Design Living >> Theory or (BDLT or BDLET) is to examine racism and the Critical >> Race Theory (CRT). From CRT or Fanon’s theorectical perspective >> “Blackness” needs to be defined in terms of the “Black people” not >> the dominant group because the dominant group viewpoint is different >> and favors their ontological beliefs…particularly in matters of >> law. From the CRT perspective Black people are no longer viewed as >> the problem with racism. The CRT viewpoint is the problem with >> racism stems from the dominant group which needs to change their >> perspective, their legal policies and ontological beliefs to end >> racism. Therefore, you may disagree with this, however, the >> Backwards Design Living Theory or the epistemology before ontology >> theory makes sense to me. >> >> Cynthia Cozette Lee, Ed.D. 215-971-3684-cell >> >> >> Love Jack. >