Seminar series
Please find below the list of upcoming and previous seminars from the CLL Joint Staff and Student Seminar Programme.
Using Ubuntu as a decolonial framework when exploring the lived experiences of those from the Afrikan diaspora
The introduction of Degree Apprenticeships in 2015 provided an alternative pathway to degree level qualifications and professional career developments without the financial stresses and debt of traditional undergraduate and postgraduate study. Lauded as offering rigour and parity with traditional degree programmes, the Degree Apprenticeship programme not only sought to provide a pipeline for skills shortages, but also provide a vehicle for social mobility, giving real opportunities to those communities often underrepresented in higher education and professional and leadership positions. However, 10 years on, it's been argued that those communities who have historically benefitted from education and employment opportunities, are benefitting the most from Degree Apprenticeships, perhaps at the expense of marginalised groups.
Given that it has been 10 years since Degree Apprenticeships were introduced, developing a greater awareness of the experiences of those from underrepresented communities is critical to the ongoing success and growth of this route. Whilst the experiences of all degree apprentices are limited in current discourse, the voices of Black and black mixed race women are absent.
The aim of this seminar is to present the methodological process I’ve used to explore the lived experiences of Black women on Degree Apprenticeships. Central to this is how the African philosophy of Ubuntu is threaded through all aspects of my research design and is utilised alongside an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. By applying Ubuntu as a hermeneutical device, I will offer my reflections on how this philosophy has deepened the sense-making and meaning making of the narratives shared by the contributors through providing social and cultural context to their lived experiences.
Using the philosophy of Ubuntu provides a decolonial lens that highlights the importance and value of community and interconnectedness and its impact on shaping the experiences of contributors of their Degree Apprenticeship journeys. During the seminar, I will share examples of how I have used Ubuntu in the IPA double hermeneutical process, demonstrating how culturally informed methodologies can be an important tool when exploring the lived experiences of often overlooked and underrepresented voices.