Book chapter
Learning from Flint: How Matter Imposes Itself in the Anthropocene and What That Means for Education
Palgrave Studies in Education and the Environment
08 Dec 2021
Abstract
AbstractIn this chapter, we explore one aspect of the Anthropocene, the vital, vibrant connections between life and matter (Whatmore, Cultural Geographies 13(4):600–609, 2006.). Drawing on the effectivity of water as a solution and the “Flint water crisis,” we explore how humans tend not to notice matter unless it brings an effect upon them. Our approach follows Melinda Benson, (Natural Resources Journal 59:251–280, 2019) in seeking to decenter human exceptionalism and explore the chemical and biological actors relationally engaged in a system with humans engendering phenomena that are unpredictable as we demonstrate in a case study of the City of Flint and its access to drinking water for humans. As this case highlights, often matter only becomes noticed when it establishes an ontological disturbance forcing itself on human experience and becoming noticed in the process. Important elements of such “noticing” are tied up with the human-material intra-actions engendering phenomena that is shaped by race and geographic history. Rather than constructing Flint and other examples as emergencies or crises that need to be solved, education should explore the dynamic nature of these events and the intra-actions of all elements. This approach offers one strategy for transforming what K–12 science education looks like for both developing scientists and everyday citizens.
Metrics
10 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Learning from Flint: How Matter Imposes Itself in the Anthropocene and What That Means for Education
- Creators
- Catherine Milne - New York UniversityColin Hennessy Elliott - Utah State UniversityAdam Devitt - California State University, StanislausKathryn Scantlebury - University of Delaware
- Publication Details
- Palgrave Studies in Education and the Environment
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum
- Other Identifier
- 991021861842504721