Widening the Circle of Relations

In this dialogue, anthropologist Michael Ling and Cary Campbell strive to articulate an organic understanding of pedagogy that iteratively moves outwards by attending to a widening circle of relations . Ling begins by discussing his ongoing sense of discomfort with the turn of phrase “the more-than or other-than—human world” as a way of describing the ecological domains and relationships beyond conventionally, anthropocentrically defined ones. The use of the phrase “more-than/other-than” has certainly helped to decentre the emphasis on “the human”, in environmental and ecological circles, and has broadened a sense (an awareness) of the integral and essential sets of relations (and obligations) that go beyond the human sphere of ideas and actions. Ling’s discomfort is in part driven by a dissatisfaction with the idea that “the more than/other than” is still, notably, apart from “the human”, and that “the human” likewise is still apart from these other realms. This leads to the proposal of “the widening circle”, a pedagogical heuristic for growing one’s attention and awareness towards our ecological interconnection with diverse webs of life. It is one that notably does not rely on this implicit (if unintentional) division between the human and the non-human. Throughout the conversation, connections to a diversity of contemplative, scholarly, and pedagogical traditions and practices are made, with a particular focus on how particular Buddhist meditation practices—such as kasina work and walking meditations—have informed the notion of “the widening circle of relations”.