Disrupting Anthropocentric GCE with Ecopedagogies through Southern Epistemological Lenses: Lessons from Bangladesh and Uganda

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 3:45pm
  In Poster Session: Critical Literacies and Educational Transformation

Abstract

This paper challenges oppressive, unsustainable, and anthropocentric aspects of Northern-centric epistemologies pervasive in Global Citizenship Education (GC/E), which systematically overlook non-Northern knowledge systems and devalue Nature beyond-humans. These dominant perspectives, often entrenched by coloniality, patriarchy, and capitalism, sustain anthropocentric ideologies that centralize humans while deprioritizing Nature. We argue that truly transformative GC/E must disrupt oppressions by critically examining who defines global awareness and responsibility. Paulo Freire-grounded ecopedagogy with critical GC/E (GCE-ecopedagogy) innately widens citizenship to include all humans and all of Nature. This approach necessitates teaching beyond dominant Northern epistemologies, incorporating Indigenous and Southern perspectives. We illustrate GCE-ecopedagogy's needs, challenges, and possibilities using examples from Bangladesh and Uganda, emphasizing postcritical/humanist approaches to disrupt dominant narratives and thicken GC/E's global-to-planetary.

Authors

• Allan Muganga, Beijing Normal University

• Jannatul Mawa, Beijing Normal University

• Greg William Misiaszek, Tohoku University