Re-Imagining our Future World with a Focus on Arts, Crafts and Organics

Abstract

The second paper reflects on our work in progress in forested rural communities and a regional wetlands community .  Our systemic action research proposal uses community engagement to address and integrate the following ways of knowing. The paper draws on a forthcoming volume, titled “ All life communicates”  The paper discusses aspects of the project.  Our work addresses the concern that not only are we living beyond our limits as a human species we are using the resources of other species on which we are dependent.  In order to ‘learn for life’, the community of practice (COP) spans projects in Indonesia and South Africa with graduates, their students, colleagues and members of the community. The ancient societies such as those in Ciptagler (West Java, Indonesia) and Bady (Bantam Province, Indonesia) and the resilient communities in South Africa led by Dzomo la Mupo are inspiring intergenerational learning with young people.  We have chosen to work in Africa and Indonesia, two developing nations that share a colonial legacy of colonisation. The case study areas also share concerns associated with the following, namely: high rates of urbanisation, habitat and species loss, displacement and the risks associated with climate change, such as food, water and energy security. 

The potential implications of our research for future learning and educational policies is to set up learning communities as multispecies hubs that work together to enable local green circular economies The common good needs to be supported by democratic engagement using metalogues and structured democratic dialogues.  Our area of concern is 1. Learning lessons from communities that have food security and are self-reliant. 2. How to protect these communities 3. Applying the lessons to support local green circular economies in other communities.