Willful Ignorance and The Precedent of Unprecedented

• In Event: Epistemic Disruptions and Justice-Oriented Dialogues in Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper explores the behavioral practice known as willful ignorance, or when an individual knows at some level that an ideology is broken and refuses to interrogate or acknowledge that the ideology is broken. From a shared understanding of willful ignorance, Ubuntu philosophy is employed as a theoretical framework to explore and critique psychosocial change in learning settings. This paper offers a novel model for remedying stagnant and unsustainable change efforts in schools and learning spaces. The model provides a practice to cultivate compassion in individuals and collectives, be that a classroom or a school district. The Embodied Change model is a multi-step process accessible at any stage.

Author

• Richard Williams, University at Buffalo