Critical Friendship in the Face of Polycrisis: Metaphors of Hope for Reimagining Educational Futures

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Arts based educational research and critical narrative(s)

Abstract

In an era increasingly defined by intersecting global, institutional, and personal crises—what some term a polycrisis, we explore how metaphor, as both an arts-based and self-reflexive tool, can offer pathways of hope, care, and futuring within the context of critical friendship. As two teacher educators situated in higher education, we undertook a collaborative inquiry rooted in critical friendship—a sustained, dialogic practice of mutual support and ethical engagement. We share metaphors and reflect on how these creative engagements enabled us to “unforget” our histories, reclaim agency, and re-imagine the future of education. Our paper contributes to ongoing conversations around self-reflexive, arts-informed methodologies as transformative tools for navigating complexity and constructing new visions for education research in times of crisis.

Authors

• Makie Kortjass, University of KwaZulu-Natal

• Ntokozo Mkhize Mthembu, University of KwaZulu-Natal