Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh

This article explores my relational learning reflections with the Laitu Khyeng Indigenous community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh, focusing on Indigenous perspectives on climate change education. Implementing a relational theoretical framework, I share my reflections on relational...

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Main Author: Ranjan Datta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2024-04-01
Series:Australian Journal of Environmental Education
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0814062624000132/type/journal_article
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author Ranjan Datta
author_facet Ranjan Datta
author_sort Ranjan Datta
collection DOAJ
description This article explores my relational learning reflections with the Laitu Khyeng Indigenous community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh, focusing on Indigenous perspectives on climate change education. Implementing a relational theoretical framework, I share my reflections on relational learning in this research as part of being accountable to the Indigenous community. Through exploring Indigenous land-based climate change research, five central themes emerge Indigenous land rights, relationship with the environment, community-led relationality as collaboration, intergenerational relational knowledge and relationality as ethical reciprocity. The findings explore the intrinsic connection between Indigenous communities and their ancestral territories, emphasising the significance of upholding Indigenous sovereignty over land for sustainable adaptation to climate change. In this article, I highlight the importance of relational learning as a form of education, fostering resilience rooted in preserving traditional practices and spaces. Relationality with the environment is central to Indigenous climate education, promoting understanding and reciprocity with the land. In my learning, I learned that community dynamics and collaborative learning are essential for effective climate education, emphasising collective action and diverse perspectives. In relational learning, inter-generational knowledge transmission ensures the preservation and sharing of traditional land-based knowledge across generations, forming the foundation for sustainable adaptation strategies. Ethical engagement and reciprocity guide research interactions, emphasising mutual respect and cultural sensitivity. By centring Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, this study advocates for community-led approaches to climate change education, fostering resilience and environmental stewardship within Indigenous communities.
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spelling doaj-art-e876a0f96a9d4539937414537a3473a62025-08-20T03:40:44ZengCambridge University PressAustralian Journal of Environmental Education0814-06262049-775X2024-04-014012814210.1017/aee.2024.13Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in BangladeshRanjan Datta0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7511-6583Canada Research Chair in Community Disaster Research, Indigenous Studies, Department of Humanities, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, CanadaThis article explores my relational learning reflections with the Laitu Khyeng Indigenous community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh, focusing on Indigenous perspectives on climate change education. Implementing a relational theoretical framework, I share my reflections on relational learning in this research as part of being accountable to the Indigenous community. Through exploring Indigenous land-based climate change research, five central themes emerge Indigenous land rights, relationship with the environment, community-led relationality as collaboration, intergenerational relational knowledge and relationality as ethical reciprocity. The findings explore the intrinsic connection between Indigenous communities and their ancestral territories, emphasising the significance of upholding Indigenous sovereignty over land for sustainable adaptation to climate change. In this article, I highlight the importance of relational learning as a form of education, fostering resilience rooted in preserving traditional practices and spaces. Relationality with the environment is central to Indigenous climate education, promoting understanding and reciprocity with the land. In my learning, I learned that community dynamics and collaborative learning are essential for effective climate education, emphasising collective action and diverse perspectives. In relational learning, inter-generational knowledge transmission ensures the preservation and sharing of traditional land-based knowledge across generations, forming the foundation for sustainable adaptation strategies. Ethical engagement and reciprocity guide research interactions, emphasising mutual respect and cultural sensitivity. By centring Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, this study advocates for community-led approaches to climate change education, fostering resilience and environmental stewardship within Indigenous communities.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0814062624000132/type/journal_articleRelationalityIndigenous land-based educationIndigenous Eldersrethinking climate change education
spellingShingle Ranjan Datta
Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
Australian Journal of Environmental Education
Relationality
Indigenous land-based education
Indigenous Elders
rethinking climate change education
title Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
title_full Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
title_fullStr Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
title_short Relationality in Indigenous Climate Change Education Research: A Learning Journey from Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh
title_sort relationality in indigenous climate change education research a learning journey from indigenous communities in bangladesh
topic Relationality
Indigenous land-based education
Indigenous Elders
rethinking climate change education
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0814062624000132/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT ranjandatta relationalityinindigenousclimatechangeeducationresearchalearningjourneyfromindigenouscommunitiesinbangladesh