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Exploring Ethical Relations to Self and New Ontologies

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Sociocultural Perspectives on Youth Ethical Consumerism

Part of the book series: Cultural Studies of Science Education ((CSSE,volume 16))

Abstract

With the recent move towards activism and engagement with ethical issues through science education, it is more important than ever to examine the ethical dimensions of education and practice. In dealing with the issue of consumerism, and the economic regimes that challenge our ability to maintain healthy environments for community wellbeing, it is important to closely examine how students and teachers come to think of themselves as ethical subjects. In addition, it is important to understand that our social world has been bound by modern distinctions between what is human/non–human, biotic/abiotic, which may prevent communities from engaging ethically in issues of ecological and social justice. Using the work of Michel Foucault, Karen Barad, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, we argue for (a) a more complex understanding of the ethical subject in education through an understanding of relations of self along three axes: self to self, self to others, and self to the world; and (b) a reconsideration of the place of this ‘ethical subject’ by engaging social ontologies and new materialisms.

There are times in life when the question of knowing, if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all

(Foucault 1985, p. 8).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, S4S 0A2, Regina, SK, Canada

    Jesse Bazzul

  2. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 398E Liberal Arts Building, 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, 02747, MA, USA

    Shakhnoza Kayumova

Authors
  1. Jesse Bazzul
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  2. Shakhnoza Kayumova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jesse Bazzul .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Giuliano Reis

  2. University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA

    Michael Mueller

  3. Trezevant High School, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

    Rachel Gisewhite

  4. Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil

    Luiz Siveres

  5. Catholic University of Brasília, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil

    Renato Brito

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Bazzul, J., Kayumova, S. (2018). Exploring Ethical Relations to Self and New Ontologies. In: Reis, G., Mueller, M., Gisewhite, R., Siveres, L., Brito, R. (eds) Sociocultural Perspectives on Youth Ethical Consumerism. Cultural Studies of Science Education, vol 16. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65608-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65608-3_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65607-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65608-3

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

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