In Conversation with Fikile Nxumalo: Refiguring Onto-Epistemic Attunements for Im/possible Science Pedagogies

Abstract

This chapter elucidates critical concepts of place in relation to Black-feminist and more-than-human geographies in the context of early childhood education. This conversation helps get at pressing political contexts for science education that are often excluded in white educational spaces. Our conversation with Dr. Nxumalo offers practical starting points for researchers interested in playing with the messy intersections of materiality, settler-colonialism, white supremacy, Indigenous knowledges, and more-than-human kin.

Envisioning action‐oriented and justice‐driven climate change education: Insights from youth climate justice activists

“…Although there is growing consensus among CCE scholars that knowledge alone is not enough to drive attitudinal or behaviour change (Kellstedt et al, 2008;Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002;Plutzer & Hannah, 2018), youth activists in this study nevertheless hoped that a greater, CCE-driven societal awareness of 'the facts' could combat the spread of misinformation and climate denial that today contributes to low-quality CCE and impedes climate action in the United States. Youths' highest aspirations for CCE aligned with the emerging literature on climate justice education (CJE), which posits that justice-driven CCE-beyond merely informing learners about the scientific and technological dimensions of the climate crisis-can offer a coherent, counterhegemonic narrative that weaves together seemingly disparate yet deeply interconnected social, economic and environmental challenges, while deepening learners' understanding and galvanizing support for justice-centred climate action (Bang, 2020;Gladwin et al, 2022;McKenzie et al, 2023;Nxumalo & Montes, 2021;Nxumalo et al, 2022;Stapleton, 2019;Tagg & Jafry, 2018;. In these ways, youths' visions of action-oriented CJE are consistent with the UN's Sustainable Development Agenda, which calls for 'building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet' (UN, 2023).…”

“…For example, educating for climate justice requires attending to the ideologies and systems fuelling the climate crisis and multi-faceted social injustices, including human and white supremacy, coloniality, racial capitalism, Euro-American epistemic hegemony, and more (McKenzie et al, 2023;Nxumalo & Montes, 2021;. As noted by McKenzie et al (2023), Any educational intervention that attempts to address the myriad of issues surrounding climate change must confront these power dynamics, and this is something that dominant approaches to climate change education frequently background or outright ignore.…”