Abstract
As geopolitical tensions deepen and societies grapple with identity fragmentation, exclusionary nationalism, and the erosion of social trust, the African ethical philosophy of Ubuntu offers a timely intervention. Ubuntu, rooted in the principle “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (“a person is a person through other people”), reframes belonging as inherently relational rather than individualistic. This paper explores how Ubuntu’s ethics of interconnectedness can address challenges of identity-based polarization by cultivating empathy, shared responsibility, and inclusive belonging. Drawing on post-apartheid reconciliation processes in South Africa, youth integration initiatives in refugee communities, and global diaspora dialogues, the paper demonstrates Ubuntu’s power to mend social fractures and restore a sense of collective identity. In doing so, it positions Ubuntu not merely as a cultural artifact, but as a global moral resource for reimagining identity and belonging in an age of division.
Presenters
Gabriel AyayiaStudent, PhD Student (Biological and Ecological Engineering Environmental Science), Oregon State University, Oregon, United States Onosedeba Mary Ayayia
Student, PhD Student (Philosophy), University of Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—The Social Impacts of Geopolitics: Interventions to Strengthen Humanity
KEYWORDS
Ubuntu, Belonging, Identity, Interconnectedness, Social polarization, Reconciliation, Collective identity
