Teaching and Researching for an Inclusive World: Ecojustice, Personal Power, and Changemaking more

Sun, May 1, 15:00-Tue, May 31, 23:55 Asia/Seoul

An inclusive world emphasizes acceptance, respect, and appreciation of diversity. In this talk, I present the case for action by language educators and researchers to build an inclusive world. The first part of the talk discusses the powerful role that educators and researchers can play in changing mindsets, bringing about practical action, and transforming research and teaching practices. This discussion takes place through an exploration of the notions of ecojustice, personal power, and changemaking. The second part of the talk considers a number of challenges in promoting and enacting inclusion based on ecojustice considerations. I shall suggest that while it is often thought to be impossible to change large-scale educational and social practices, it is always possible, though admittedly not easy, to change our individual behaviors. It is at this personal level that educators and researchers, I argue, can create meaningful and impactful changes, changes that can encourage and inspire students and colleagues to take personal and group action that correspondingly contributes to institutional and systemic transformations. All this is for a more sustainable, more just world for the billions of fellow humans facing poverty and discrimination in different arenas of daily life, and by extension, for our fellow animals and our Mother Nature as a whole. There is a lot of darkness in this world, as Jane Goodall (2021) reminded us recently, “but our actions create the light.” Some examples based on personal experience (of action, not darkness!) are provided, and the relevance of this experience to the points raised is discussed. It is within this broad frame that I wish to consider the theme of the conference: Teaching for a Better World.