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This chapter frames the educational journey of an Iskwew, or Cree woman who has navigated the different spaces of settler education, sometimes reluctantly and sometimes eagerly. The author engages the usage of her Cree Nisgaa Methodological Framework that is framed by protocol, mamatowisin, or engaging inner mindfulness, and reciprocity. The author makes and holds space for readers to journey with her, offering an opportunity to bear witness to the experiences of First Nation (Indigenous) education, from her positionality as a Cree woman. The author engages, embodies, and enacts ethical relationality throughout the chapter as it is her pedagogical hope that this chapter contributes to a collective space where Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships can be forged with respect, relevance, relationality, and reciprocity on behalf of students everywhere.

The present world is captivated by the global challenges of climate change, environmental and ecological degradation, challenges related to migration, inequality, conflict and unrest. The development process failed to appreciate and signify the role of non-value, non-materialistic and altruistic value of both living and non-living natural entities. Thus, a significant disconnect or gap between public policy and human well-being has been observed. The departure of human beings from their true self has also distanced humans from the rest of the species and ecosystem. The essence of altruistic value and its recognition is plausible only through the upliftment and evolution of the inner self. The interconnectivity of the inner and outer world can be perceived through self-evolution. A public policy that is driven by the force of self-enhancement and realization, connecting and synthesizing human and non-human interactions selflessly, is required for revolutionizing the development paradigm. Against this backdrop, Gandhian philosophy that values the individual and his relationship with his true self becomes instrumental in ethical transformation. The self-transformation, manifestation and realization of truth and love are deeply embedded in Gandhian Revolution. Gandhian philosophy is a phenomenal illustration of self-transformation based on self–realization and soul force (Satyagraha) that acts as a driving force for a paradigm shift. Gandhian thoughts recognize the otherness of others (either human beings or nature), embedded in the notion of ‘Sarvodaya’. Based on spiritual inquiry and ethical value judgement, and cosmic interdependence, the Gandhian notion constitutes a building block for a non-violent socioeconomic system guided by empathy and the law of non-possession. The twin models, ‘The trusteeship model’ and ‘Economy of Permanence’, advocate a spiritual inquiry and ethical value judgement in economics and governance. Addressing the economic problem of scarcity and choice, the attributes of decentralization, self-sufficiency and self-reliance envisage that individuals are satisfied with minimum consumption. In addition, non-violence, truth and love create a subsequent balance in ecology and the environment. Ethical responsibility is not just limited to socio-economic and political systems but also integrates environmental and ecological sustainability.

The application of user involvement in the design and implementation of research has progressed through various frameworks and is an increasingly recognized and expected as a key element of ethical research methodologies. The practice of engaging users (the public, patients, service recipients, etc.) beyond the traditional scope of subject, and elevating their role as partner or co-designer of the research process, is theoretically rooted in civil rights and social justice ideologies. The success of these types of models are influenced by various factors including the people involved, their capacities and values; the physical and funding environment in which the research occurs and the approaches used to engage. In theory, user involved research is most successful when the people, approaches and environment are genuinely interested and centralized around inclusive methods that posit that populations researched have the right to contribute to research done and researchers have the ethical responsibility to engage them using measurable strategies. User involved research frameworks have the potential to create a space that both values and uplifts historically marginalized voices, while touting the demonstrated advantage of improved effectiveness in research outcomes and implications. Yet there exists a dissonance between theory and practice in the field, due to a lack of consistent understanding, practices and standards tied to the approach.

The disparities of COVID-19 vaccination rates between the rural and urban areas have become apparent during this pandemic. There is a need to understand the root causes of vaccine hesitancy demonstrated by the rural population to increase coverage and to contain the disease spread throughout the United States. This study aimed to explore other factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among rural dwellers besides the geography-related barriers such as poor health care access and individuals having no or suboptimal insurance coverage.

By reviewing existing data and literature about vaccination, health literacy, and behaviors, and prevailing ideologies, we discuss the potential causes of vaccine hesitancy in rural areas that could create barriers for successful public health efforts related to vaccine coverage and provide suggestions to ameliorate the situation.

Geography-related barriers, health literacy, and preconceived notions are key determinants of adopting healthy behaviors and complying with public health authorities' recommendations among rural individuals during a public-health crisis. We argue that ideology, which is much deeper than preconception or misconception on vaccination, should be incorporated as a key factor to redefine the term “vulnerable populations” in public health research.

The limitation of our study is that we have not found an effective way to encourage the populations who hold conservative religious and political ideologies to join the efforts for public health. Even though geography-related barriers may strongly impact the rural dwellers in achieving optimal health, the various forms of ideologies they have toward certain health behaviors cannot be discounted to understand and address vaccine-related disparities in rural areas. There is a need to redefine the term “vulnerable population” particularly as it relates to rural areas in the United States. During large-scale public health disasters, scholars and public health authorities should consider the ideologies of individuals, in addition to other factors such as race/ethnicity, area of residence (rural vs. urban), and socioeconomic factors influencing the existing vulnerabilities and health disparities.

Being the most powerful creatures on the planet, we humans should carefully consider our beliefs for the simple reason that the way in which we think influences our behaviors; this in turn can either transform the world or negatively affect the world. Our mores, paradigms, and worldviews translate into behaviors (e.g., factory farming for meat production and consumption) that in turn modify the environment. In general, much of our thinking system is backed up by some concept, theory, paradigm, or ideology. Our thinking systems generate our belief systems of goals and mission statements; our belief systems, in turn, determine our behavior systems (e.g., our strategies, choices, commissions, omissions as implementation systems); our behavior systems determine our impact systems (e.g., impact on us, our families and neighborhoods, our cities and villages, our state and our country, our globe and sometimes our cosmos). Thus, our behavior systems eventually impact our thinking systems, which we started with, thus completing a circular or spiral loop. This chapter examines the thinking–beliefs–behaviors–impact loop, exploring its internal and external dynamics and validities. Specifically, in Part I, we examine the structure of our belief systems in business; in Part II, we explore the power of our structured belief systems in business; in Part III, we apply critical thinking that systematically questions and seeks to redesign our presumed thinking and belief systems.

This chapter presents an analysis of gender equity messages in textbooks and official educational documents in Mexico. For that purpose, critical pedagogy, understood as a framework to dissect power dynamics and gender relations in educational settings, is employed. From the point of view of critical pedagogy, stereotypes and imbalances of power are learned through everyday discourses and narratives and have been shaped by a long history of dominance and suppression; they are part of a system erected precisely to exercise control and limit possibilities particularly of those groups in the margins of society: poor, women, addicts, indigenous peoples, etc. Schools are regarded as spaces where inclusiveness is encouraged but also places where the reproduction of the status quo also occurs; in that sense, schools reflect whatever occurs in society at large, not only the positive cases but the bleak instances as well. Our main intention was to identify and examine books and documents on educational policy, guidelines, contents, or learning outcomes, which have been expressed to promote gender equity and respect for diversity. The idea is to identify whether the content that promotes equity is being communicated or if, on the contrary, gender stereotypes continue to be reinforced, the theme is avoided, or it is not considered relevant. We identified texts (activities and instructions) and images embodying messages connected to gender equity, or inequities, and even discourses that, proactively or by omission, perpetuate the transmission of gender stereotypes. The textbooks of Civic and Ethical Education of the final three grades of primary education are analyzed. A perusal of legal documents and official textbooks suggests that mixed messages that include both explicit statements of equity between binary gender options and implicit messages of superiority and authority attributed to men are somehow transmitted. In particular, the iconography let through implicit messages, probably unintentional but nonetheless powerful, in conveying stereotypes and imbalances of power.

In this chapter, we present two examples of research projects aimed at amplifying voices that are often silenced in research: those of children and/or youth from refugee backgrounds. Refugees are often excluded from research for both ethical and practical reasons: because of their assumed vulnerability as well as the challenges related to language or access. In the research projects presented, we aimed to employ methods that suited these groups of children and youth to understand their experiences in ways that they wanted to express them, and in situ. We argue that starting from, and finishing with, the point of view of the knowledge holders illustrates one means (although not exclusively so) by which to amplify their voices and knowledge to counter epistemic injustice in educational research.