A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Who and what belongs to us? Towards a comprehensive concept of inclusion and planetary citizenship
Authors: Salonen, Arto O.; Isola, Anna-Maria; Jakonen, Juha-Pekka; Foster, Raisa
Publisher: UCL Press
Publication year: 2024
Journal: International Journal of Social Pedagogy
Article number: 5
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
eISSN: 2051-5804
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2024.v13.x.005
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2024.v13.x.005
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/505011251
In this theoretical article, we ask who and what belongs to us. We aim to conceptualise planetary citizenship and identify the scale for experiences of planetary inclusion. As a basis for the planetary approach, we utilise systems thinking and eudaimonic well-being that transcends hedonism and materialism and that focuses on meaningful and purposeful living, personal growth, engagement and positive relationships. Expanding the concept of human participation is necessary as the contemporary lifeworld has gradually stretched beyond the traditional boundaries of local communities and nation-state societies. Furthermore, the lifestyle of people living in high-income industrial countries has also been noted to have serious consequences in wider circles of life. Thus, human–biosphere relationships must be renegotiated to strengthen responsible citizenship and facilitate caring for life on Earth. To promote this ideal, we widen the already validated scale for experiences of social inclusion towards a scale for experiences of planetary inclusion. We introduce the concept of planetary citizenship, which enhances the concept of inclusion. Planetary citizenship refers to a life orientation where the boundary between humans and the rest of nature disappears. It refers to the citizen who is simultaneously a local, global and planetary actor. The attachment to something larger could help planetary citizens grow towards being a person who is aware and reflective and can look at the world from new perspectives. Experiences of planetary inclusion could also help to solve the problems of climate change, depletion of natural resources and biodiversity loss.
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Funding information in the publication:
The research was funded by the Strategic Research Council of Finland (Grant No. STN/2023/358763,
Sufficiency solutions for a resilient, green, and just Finland).
