Southern Theories

This book critically explores Global South perspectives, examining marginalised voices and issues whilst challenging the supremacy of Global North perspectives in literature. The unique value of this book lies in its extensive coverage of various Southern challenges, including disaster management, climate change, communication, resilience, gender, education, and disability. It also underscores the relevance of indigenous philosophies such as animism, Buen Vivir, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Neozapatism, Qi vitality, Taoism, and Ubuntu. Stemming from regions as diverse as Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America, these philosophies are brought into public discourse. By demonstrating their practicality in designing intervention programs and influencing policy-making, the book fills a critical gap in global Southern literature while promoting context-specific knowledge for improving well-being in the Global South contexts. This book’s content resonates with a diverse audience, encompassing students, academics, researchers, NGOs, and policymakers from postcolonial states in the Global South and those from Global North countries.

Furthermore, it is highly relevant to communities within the Global North that mirror the Global South – those grappling with equity issues for indigenous populations. It has a versatile appeal that transcends disciplinary boundaries, encompassing cultural studies, sociology, international development, philosophy, and postcolonial studies, thus making it accessible to all educational levels. It holds particular interest for those in development studies, indigenous studies, government departments globally, international organisations, and universities worldwide.

Author Biography

Oliver Mutanga is a disability scholar with a PhD in development studies from the University of the Free State in South Africa. He is an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Education at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan, and a research associate at the University of South Africa’s College of Education. Oliver has been honoured with prestigious awards such as the Marie Sklodowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Oslo, Norway and the Global Challenges Research Fellowship at University College London’s Institute of Education.

Tendayi Marovah is a research fellow at the Open Distance Learning Research Unit, College of Education, University of South Africa (UNISA). He is also a lecturer at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. His research interests include curriculum and pedagogy, higher education, social justice, human development, and theorising using the capability approach and Ubuntu philosophy. Tendayi holds a PhD in Africa studies (history) from the Centre for Africa Studies at the University of the Free State in South Africa. Tendayi’s current practice is grounded in transformative pedagogies informed by Ubuntu philosophy, which aims to develop the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to create a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.