<b>Shared Humanity: Lessons in Critical Thinking - Social Justice as Pedagogy</b>

<p dir="ltr">The Shared Humanity: Lessons in Critical Thinking presentation was part of an institutional information-sharing session during the quarterly discussion group meeting of the Intercultural Learning for Global Engagement (ILGE), a working group of the International Network of Universities.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">The module titled <i>Shared Humanity: Lessons in Critical Thinking</i> aims to build a socially just civil society capable of addressing current humanitarian challenges and safeguarding the rights and freedoms of all individuals, as outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights, the Bill of Rights, and the South African Constitution.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">Kahneman’s (2011) theoretical framework suggests that inherent biases and prejudiced worldviews can be mitigated through self-awareness and an understanding of one's role in creating conditions for social justice or injustice. This conceptual understanding of our embodiment and personal identity, which are dialectically linked to our actions and projects, provides mechanisms to develop self-awareness for living and leading with empathy in a complex world.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">This approach incorporates learning theory and methodology into the design to place social justice at the centre of the student’s learning journey, which includes:</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">The model’s theoretical foundation is grounded in the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Mezirow (2009) on social justice and transformational learning. Meanwhile, Kahneman (2011), Cargas et al. (2017), and Amartya Sen’s (2005) capabilities framework underpin the praxis of social justice.</p><p dir="ltr">The methodological frameworks involve the Critical Thinking Model of Paul and Elder (2010) and Kolb’s (2011) experiential learning theory, among others, providing tools for social justice praxis.</p><p dir="ltr">The Unit for Experiential Learning at Stellenbosch University views experiential learning as a pedagogy for social justice through 'Shared Humanity: Lessons in Critical Thinking,' offering academic transcript recognition for approved co-curricular activities, training in designing for transformative experiential learning, and the Experiential Learning Prospectus. Collaborative partnerships, research, monitoring, and evaluation ensure alignment with SU Vision 2040. At Stellenbosch University, our primary goal under Vision 2040 is to offer a unique and personalised student experience for every student, creating a truly transformative educational journey. </p>