South African place based ethics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Politics Philosophy Lang & Comms Studies
Abstract
My project will expand the scope of philosophical discussion around the notion of place by arguing that human relationships with place-worlds are intrinsically ethical. The notion of place has always been a central concern for environmental phenomenology, however I argue that the concept of place is also an integral, yet understudied part of environmental virtue ethics. I will investigate two kinds of relationship to place: indigenous communal place-worlds and non-native individualistic place-worlds, and the relationship between them in South Africa.
Philosophy is in danger of becoming divorced from current issues and from people. As Michael Jackson puts it, "the separation of the vita contemplativa from the vita activa is not only false; it is utopian, which is to say it can be achieved nowhere" (2013: 259). The importance of interdisciplinary research in overcoming this cannot be overstated. Research must engage with the life-worlds of people - with the eco-social spaces in which they operate - and cannot be abstract. My research grounds philosophy in the experiences of real people through anthropology and literature, and as such is a vital addition to the current philosophical research landscape.
Heightened understanding of the ethical consequences of place-connections has significant impacts for grassroots NGOs like Usiko Stellenbosch. My research will draw from, inform, and expand the work of such organisations to foster social and ecological resilience in the face of threats to traditional knowledge and practices. This research also impacts governments and corporate bodies such as Ibutho Coal, who currently view native 'culture', including traditional socio-political and economic systems, as a "barrier to development and extractive activities" (Gilberthorpe & Hilson 2014: 2). Only through philosophical engagement can we find ways to transform the relationship between native groups and development bodies into one of cooperation and collaboration. This research is not only timely, given the longstanding subjugation suffered by indigenous South African peoples, it is vitally important for South Africa to pursue equality and sustainability.
My background is in environmental philosophy, strongly influenced by the phenomenological tradition, and I support a virtue-oriented approach to environmental ethics. I contend that a successful environmental ethic must be both contextually grounded and actively engaged. I began researching indigenous environmental ethics for my Master's dissertation on the value of Maori literature as a rich source of ethical inspiration, and in this project I extend the scope of my work to directly address concerns within anthropology and international development.
Research questions
1. How do collective experiences of place determine environmental ethics in indigenous communities, and how is the decrease in youth uptake of traditional philosophy impacting this?
2. Is the ability for non-native South Africans to develop strong personal connections and ethics around place, through nomadic or short-term experiences, linked to increasingly urban environments?
3. How do the place-world experiences of indigenous communities and non-native individuals interact, and what is the consequent effect on eco-social resilience and development initiatives?
Philosophy is in danger of becoming divorced from current issues and from people. As Michael Jackson puts it, "the separation of the vita contemplativa from the vita activa is not only false; it is utopian, which is to say it can be achieved nowhere" (2013: 259). The importance of interdisciplinary research in overcoming this cannot be overstated. Research must engage with the life-worlds of people - with the eco-social spaces in which they operate - and cannot be abstract. My research grounds philosophy in the experiences of real people through anthropology and literature, and as such is a vital addition to the current philosophical research landscape.
Heightened understanding of the ethical consequences of place-connections has significant impacts for grassroots NGOs like Usiko Stellenbosch. My research will draw from, inform, and expand the work of such organisations to foster social and ecological resilience in the face of threats to traditional knowledge and practices. This research also impacts governments and corporate bodies such as Ibutho Coal, who currently view native 'culture', including traditional socio-political and economic systems, as a "barrier to development and extractive activities" (Gilberthorpe & Hilson 2014: 2). Only through philosophical engagement can we find ways to transform the relationship between native groups and development bodies into one of cooperation and collaboration. This research is not only timely, given the longstanding subjugation suffered by indigenous South African peoples, it is vitally important for South Africa to pursue equality and sustainability.
My background is in environmental philosophy, strongly influenced by the phenomenological tradition, and I support a virtue-oriented approach to environmental ethics. I contend that a successful environmental ethic must be both contextually grounded and actively engaged. I began researching indigenous environmental ethics for my Master's dissertation on the value of Maori literature as a rich source of ethical inspiration, and in this project I extend the scope of my work to directly address concerns within anthropology and international development.
Research questions
1. How do collective experiences of place determine environmental ethics in indigenous communities, and how is the decrease in youth uptake of traditional philosophy impacting this?
2. Is the ability for non-native South Africans to develop strong personal connections and ethics around place, through nomadic or short-term experiences, linked to increasingly urban environments?
3. How do the place-world experiences of indigenous communities and non-native individuals interact, and what is the consequent effect on eco-social resilience and development initiatives?
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Megan Pay (Student) |