What is Relationality?

The ontological claims that shape Western culture assume reality as made of individual objects, like individual substances (atoms or subatomic particles for example) that can then come together in relationships. Relationality challenges this by claiming that it is actually from relationships that individuals arise. From a relational perspective, human existence grows from the myriad of complex relationships that make up the natural world, thus humans, like all other life, “are their relations, they do not exist prior to them,” (Escobar, 2019, p. 45).

It is important to note that relationality is the intrinsic ontology and way of knowing in Indigenous cultures across the globe and throughout their history. Western culture has only recently begun to turn toward relationality. Scientific models in quantum physics, along with systems thinking and complexity theory, are in alignment with relationality, or the assumption that reality is fundamentally relational. For instance, in quantum physics, objects like atoms or electrons arise from measurements, that is from the relationship created when we make a measurement (Rovelli, 1996). A relational ontology applies this same logic to any observed object.

Why is Relationality Important for Sustainability?

Relationality is important for sustainability because it helps reconnect us humans with the rest of the natural world. Increasingly, sustainability scholars are highlighting the disconnection between humans and nature as a core part of unsustainability. Reconnecting humans with nature then becomes an important part of addressing sustainability challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Relationality, as an ontological claim, reconnects humans with nature at a fundamental level because it posits our existence is interconnected with the existence of all other life on Earth. This challenges notions of humans as above or having control over nature, or what are often termed anthropocentric worldviews and values. Relationality considers anthropocentric, or human-centered, perspectives as inconsistent with reality. Further, carrying out actions and behaviors that fail to account for relationality can have widespread negative consequences.

What is relational accountability?

Relational accountability is the ethical implications that naturally align with relationality, or an understanding of reality as primarily relationships. This ethical aspect is inseparable from relationality, and is best represented by Indigenous concepts of Natural Law. Natural Law is described as a system of “moral checks and balances on the consciousness of a people,” (Nelson, 2008, p. 14). These laws can either be adhered to or not; however, violating these laws has direct consequences. In this way, relationality implies accountability because we are always in relationship with everything else. Our actions and behaviors are accountable to these relationships, thus, relational accountability becomes an obligation instead of a choice because maintaining relationships conducive for life on Earth as we know it depends on it. From this perspective, sustainability problems like climate change and biodiversity loss can be viewed as relationship problems created out of a lack of relational accountability.

How can this apply to teaching?

Extending Sterling’s (2010) theoretical vision for “Sustainable Education”, Neda and Manuel-Navarrete (2021)  propose “sustainable classrooms” as a conceptual construct to characterize learning environments that are organically co-produced, stay alive, adaptive, and open to innovation. Students and instructors participate as whole human beings and form relationships that contribute to their reciprocal thriving and a sense of community. The key is that participants take ownership of their own learning process beyond the official class times, spaces, and institutional norms. As a result learning becomes a truly emergent phenomenon.

Relationality and the Pluriverse

Relationality is linked to the idea of a pluriverse, or a perspective that understands reality as subjective and open to diverse constructions or worlds. The pluriverse perspective rejects the conventional, modern perspective that there is only one objective reality, or universe, that can be known primarily through scientific observation. Relationality creates space for this pluriversal perspective and considers diverse perspectives of reality as valid. In doing so, relationality creates space for diverse perspectives of knowledge as valid as well. Knowledge produced through art, reflection, embodied experiences, etc. is viewed as just as valid and important for understanding the world as knowledge produced through the scientific method.

Appropriately Engaging with Indigenous Knowledge

As discussed previously, relationality is a fundamental concept for Indigenous philosophy and thinking. When bringing relationality into a Western education context through non-Indigenous practitioners, like ourselves, it is important to follow ethical guidelines for working with Indigenous ways of knowing and thinking. There is a high risk for cultural appropriation, or extractive use of Indigenous knowledge, when doing this work. Appropriating Indigenous knowledge reinforces unsustainable relationships with Indigenous peoples which is the antithesis of relationality and relational accountability. With that, we ask that you read this article from Life Literacy Canada to get a better understanding of ethically engaging with Indigenous knowledge in the classroom. The article discusses several key points, such as educating yourself on the Indigenous communities in your areas, decolonizing the classroom and removing bias, and including Indigenous stories and arts in lessons.

-        Article from text: How to Incorporate Indigenous Ways of Knowing into Your Teaching