World: Resisting singular objectification in pursuit of multiplicity

Abstract

This paper contrasts a singular construction of the ‘world’ as an object, often presented to students through representational objects (such as atlases, maps, globes), with a more expansive orientation toward the idea of ‘world’ and how it might enter the classroom. By engaging with Hannah Arendt’s concept of natality, I consider a view of the world as encompassing the many unexpected objects, ideas, relationships, and experiences students might bring forth: how might educators make space for the many ‘worlds’ students might bring into the classroom with them? For what reasons might it be important to see world construction as an active process instead of a prescribed one? What new opportunities for worlding are made possible when the ‘world’ is seen as many, potentially disruptive, things, instead of as a singular ‘object’? Following these questions, in this paper ‘world’ is presented as multiple: something we attempt to reduce to the singular; something plural - the objects that punctuate our lives in unexpected ways; something we build alone and together; a speculative encounter with others in complex relation; and, ultimately, an act of love.