Welcoming the Other Amidst Ethno-Cultural Difference

This work brings the thought of Emmanuel Levinas into
play in attempting to understand the responsibility
of a group of educators of Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal heritage who work amidst the tensions
of ethno-cultural difference in an inner city public
high school. The concept of welcoming that is born
in the words of Levinas, and that is further
fashioned into an interpretation framework, while
relying on the writings of Jacque Derrida and Sharon
Todd, is employed in this philosophical hermeneutic.
I suggest that Levinas philosophy refashioned as
welcoming, can be helpful in prompting educators (and
others) to think differently about responsibility and
therefore to position themselves to better enact
their responsibility. This work is potentially
helpful, not as a 'how to guide' relating a code of
ethics, but in assuring people, that what is ethical
is not necessarily defined within the confines of
convention, legal or social codes and rules, or
cultural norms, but rather in one's attentiveness to
others and attentiveness to one's attentiveness,
where a person realizes the welcoming nature of
responsibility and what is actually demanded of a
person in being responsible.

Autorentext

Tim Molnar is an assistant professor at the University ofSaskatchewan, Canada. He teaches and undertakes research in theareas of science and environment, technology and teacher-leadereducation, with an interest in how these exist as experiences ofa more emancipatory, humanistic and anti-oppressive pedagogy.

Klappentext

This work brings the thought of Emmanuel Levinas intoplay in attempting to understand the responsibilityof a group of educators of Aboriginal andnon-Aboriginal heritage who work amidst the tensionsof ethno-cultural difference in an inner city publichigh school. The concept of 'welcoming' that is bornin the words of Levinas, and that is furtherfashioned into an interpretation framework, whilerelying on the writings of Jacque Derrida and SharonTodd, is employed in this philosophical hermeneutic.I suggest that Levinas' philosophy refashioned aswelcoming, can be helpful in prompting educators (andothers) to think differently about responsibility andtherefore to position themselves to better enacttheir responsibility. This work is potentiallyhelpful, not as a 'how to guide' relating a code ofethics, but in assuring people, that what is ethicalis not necessarily defined within the confines ofconvention, legal or social codes and rules, orcultural norms, but rather in one's attentiveness toothers and attentiveness to one's attentiveness,where a person realizes the welcoming nature ofresponsibility and what is actually demanded of aperson in being responsible.