Twenty-first International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

The manner in which we experience the world perceptually (through our senses) is core in determining our preferences and the choices we make on a daily – and larger – scale. It is by means of both our external and internal senses that we assess – albeit implicitly – encounters with aspects of aesthetic worth in the world around us. These encounters may be with actual works of art or magnificent views of nature but they may equally occur in the routine and even mundane aspects of everyday life. This paper references ‘Everyday Aesthetics’ and African philosophies of beauty in considering the potential of such everyday aspects of beauty in prompting both attitude and behaviour change in terms of those considered ‘other’. In support of this idea, reference is made to extracts from student reflections on classroom interactions with those from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. These reflections imply themes analogous to the human response to beauty - including the desire to replicate the encounter, the feeling of having been awakened to a fresh experience of the world, a sense of conviction regarding future action and an awareness of previous error in judgement. There were also signs of ‘radical decentring’, prompting a move from restrictive subjectivity to generosity of spirit regarding the ‘other’. In light of the student responses, this paper argues that, as educators, we have the opportunity to facilitate healing and constructive intercultural communication by the facilitation of similar spaces in our classrooms.