Human Becoming in a Posthuman World: Daisaku Ikeda's Citizen Diplomacy Through Dialogue as Educational Praxis

• In Event: Posthumanist Engagements in Education

Abstract

This conceptual inquiry examines the effectiveness of citizen diplomacy through Daisaku Ikeda's (1928-2023) works in the context of posthumanism. I propose a curriculum framework centered on Ikeda's approach to citizen diplomacy, drawing from his 40 annual commemorative peace proposals and 76+ published dialogues globally. The Soka Gakkai International (SGI) community Ikeda built demonstrates how grassroots efforts can foster global citizenship and peacebuilding through sharing Buddhism and human-to-human connection. This research explores how educators can extend Ikeda's work by addressing critical, and herein, argued, interlocking questions: How does Ikeda’s human education fit in a posthuman world? What focus areas beyond nuclear disarmament are essential in future peace proposals inspired by Ikeda? How can citizen diplomacy challenge state diplomacy's limitations? I argue that Ikeda's "human diplomacy" through dialogue offers a model for realizing peaceful global citizenship that centers human dignity and transforms individuals and societies. See Appendix A for methodology and analysis.

Author

• Sally Soliai, DePaul University