Face to Face Encounters Education and Engagement for a Shared Humanity

Anthony Steel; Jude Butcher; Michael Bezzina

doi:10.36923/jicc.v12i2.599

Open Access Article Intercultural Communication

Anthony Steel ⁽¹⁾ , Jude Butcher ⁽²⁾ , Michael Bezzina ⁽³⁾

1. Australian Catholic University

2. Australian Catholic University

3. Australian Catholic University

https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v12i2.599

Issue
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2012)

Submitted
2010 October 6

Published
2012 July 10

Keywords:

interfaith, intercultural, community engagement based learning, mutual respect

Ask AI (Dimensions)

Download PDF

Abstract

Despite the prevalence of conflict and violence in the world, education offers hope for social transformation and a recognition of our shared humanity. Much of the hatred and violence has its origins in a fear of 'the other', while education has the potential to equip people with the knowledge and skills to overcome such fear, build social harmony, challenge injustice, and build bridges across cultural and religious barriers. Based on the recognition of our shared humanity and the practice of respectful dialogue, it allows students to explore together what really matters to them as human beings and as members of their society and communities. Case studies of such encounters in Australian educational contexts will be presented in this paper, analyzing their impact and discerning principles they offer for structuring education for a shared humanity.

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Akkerman, S. and Bakker, A. (2011) Boundary Crossing and Boundary Objects. Review of Educational Research. 81, 2, 132-169. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Arasaratnam, L. and Doerfel, M. (2005) Intercultural communication competence: Identifying key components from multicultural perspectives. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 29, 137-163. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Benner, A. and Crosnoe, R. (2011) The Racial/Ethnic Composition of Elementary Schools and Young Children’s Academic and Socioemotional Functioning. American Educational Research Journal 48, 3, 621-646. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Bezzina, M. and Butcher, J. (2008) Review of the Pilot Project ‘Promoting Interfaith and Intercultural Understandings in School Settingsaccessed at http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/Interfaith_and_Intercultural_Review_Report.pdf Google Scholar | WorldCat

Bowman, N. (2011) Promoting Participation in a Diverse Democracy: A Meta-Analysis of College Diversity Experiences and Civic Engagement. Review of Educational Research. 81, 1, 29-68 Google Scholar | WorldCat

Deane, W. (1997) Directions: A Vision for Australia Sydney: St Pauls. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Denson, N. and Chang, M. (2009) Racial Diversity Matters: The Impact of Diversity-Related Student Engagement and Institutional Context. American Educational Research Journal 46, 2, 322-353. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Fitzduff, M. (2002). Beyond Violence: conflict resolution process in Northern Ireland. Tokyo: United Nations University Press. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Friedman, V. and Antal, A. (2005) Negotiating Reality: A Theory of Action Approach to Intercultural Competence. Management Learning 36, 1, 69-86. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Hoffman, D. (2009) Reflecting on Social Emotional Learning: A Critical Perspective on Trends in the United States. Review of Educational Research. 79, 2, 533-556. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Jensen, I. (2003). The Practice of Intercultural Communication – reflections for professionals in cultural meetings. Journal of Intercultural Communication. 6 (2003) accessed at: http://www.immi.se/intercultural/index.htm Google Scholar | WorldCat

Ki-Moon, B (2009) Address to the Second Alliance of Civilisations Forum accessed at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sgsm12173.doc.htm Google Scholar | WorldCat

Mackay, H. (2007) Advance Australia …Where? Sydney: Hachette Australia. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (2008) Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians Melbourne: MCEETYA. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Myers, J. (2010) ‘To benefit the world by whatever means possible’: adolescents’ constructed meanings for global citizenship. British Educational Research Journal. 36, 3, 483-502. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Obama, B. (2009) Speech to the Summit of the Americas accessed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/ Google Scholar | WorldCat

Pohl, C. (1999) Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian TraditionGrand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Polman, J. and Miller, D. (2010) Changing Stories: Trajectories of Identification Among African American Youth in a Science Outreach Apprenticeship. American Educational Research Journal. 47, 4, 879-918. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Raue, M. et al (2008) Religious Literacy: Snapshot 2008 Wollongong: Catholic Education Office/Sydney: Australian Catholic University. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Sen, A. (2005) The Argumentative Indian New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Google Scholar | WorldCat

United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights in The Core International Human Rights Treaties New York: UNHCR. Google Scholar | WorldCat

Authors

Anthony Steel

Jude Butcher

Michael Bezzina

michael.bezzina@acu.edu.au (Primary Contact)

Author Biographies

Anthony Steel

Anthony Steel works in the Institute for Advancing Community Engagement at Australian Catholic University, with significant focus on interfaith and intercultural relations. He has a particular interest in human rights issues, and the role of faith communities in helping to foster tolerance and social harmony. He also lectures in theology at ACU’s Strathfield campus.

Jude Butcher

Jude Butcher is Director, Institute for Advancing Community Engagement and Professor of Community Engagement at Australian Catholic University. Previously he has been Head of School of Education. Jude’s areas of study include community engagement, capacity building, social justice and education, and teachers’ professional development. He has been involved in Indigenous education for 25 years and in educational capacity building in East Timor for ten years. In 2010 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to Education.

Michael Bezzina

Michael Bezzina is the Director of the Flagship for Creative and Authentic Leadership at Australian Catholic University. Previously he had held system leadership roles in Catholic education in the Diocese of Parramatta, significantly as Director of Religious Education and Educational Services. He also had a period as Interim Executive Director. In a rich and varied career Mick has been a classroom teacher, school leader, teacher educator, consultant, system administrator, process facilitator and researcher. He has a passionate commitment to working with leaders to promote authentic learning for all students.

Steel, A., Butcher, J., & Bezzina, M. (2012). Face to Face Encounters Education and Engagement for a Shared Humanity. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 12(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v12i2.599

Download Citation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This journal provides immediate and free open access to all its content and is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means readers are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, as long as proper attribution is given. This policy is consistent with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access.

How to Cite