Unpacking Public Discourses of Ubuntu a Decoloniality Approach

Abstract

In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Dalai Lama called for human beings to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility, for well-being of all not for some I would add. He posed this call as a primary concern of the twenty-first century: that we all become intentional in our vision and purposes for a shared humanity. To unpack the narratives told about Ubuntu in public discourse, I borrow Lee Ann Bell’s (2010) typology in storytelling for social justice. Bell identifies four kinds of narratives, stock narratives—which maintain status quo, concealed stories—while they shake up status quo narratives, resistance stories—have the potential to inspire change—and emerging/transformative stories catalyze change. In exploring the public discourses of Ubuntu, we learn how evocations of Ubuntu are maintaining status quo and/or how they are transforming us to greater sense of universal responsibility.