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Cited by 106African cultural and philosophical studiesMedicine, History, and PhilosophyFeminism, Gender, and Intersectionality

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Ubuntu Philosophy as a Humanistic–Existential Framework for the Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Chigangaidze, Robert Kudakwashe, Matanga, Anesu Aggrey, Katsuro, Tafadzwa Roniah·2022·Journal of Humanistic Psychology
DOI 10.1177/00221678211044554
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Abstract

Ubuntu has been identified by several scholars as a philosophy that provides a framework to fight health disasters such as COVID-19. Ubuntu refers to the African worldview of seeing oneself through others. It refers to the pattern of interconnectedness between people in the form of a philosophy or worldview. Ubuntu explores concerns about cosmic and global context of life. This article stipulates that Ubuntu can provide ways to deal with challenges that emerge with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ubuntu fosters the integrated components of humanity as it appreciates the biological, psychosocial, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life. The article explores several themes such as self-awareness and societal responsibility, holism, spirituality, health promotion, food security, social justice and human rights, generosity, sharing, and teamwork. Others have advanced that Ubuntu is a philosophy to adopt in the fight against epidemics, and we seek to broaden the debate by exploring Ubuntu axiological and ontological humanistic–existential themes. Finally, the article calls for the adoption of Ubuntu philosophy in psychological and social work interventions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Metadata

Authors
Chigangaidze, R. K., Matanga, A. A., & Katsuro, T. R.
Affiliations
Midlands State University (ZW)
Corresponding author
Chigangaidze, Robert Kudakwashe
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2021-10-12
Volume
62
Issue
3
Pages
319-333
ISSN
  • 0022-1678 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-650X
DOI
10.1177/00221678211044554
OpenAlex
W3207789718
Cited by
106
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 8
FWCI
24.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Journal of Humanistic Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › African cultural and philosophical studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Medicine, History, and Philosophy
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Feminism, Gender, and Intersectionality
Keywords
Ubuntu, COVID-19 pandemic, African worldview, self-awareness, social responsibility, holism, spirituality, health promotion, food security, social justice, human rights, generosity, teamwork, psychological intervention, social work intervention, axiology, ontology

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Ubuntu Philosophy as a Humanistic–Existential Framework for the Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1177/00221678211044554
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Chigangaidze, R. K., Matanga, A. A., & Katsuro, T. R. (2022). Ubuntu Philosophy as a Humanistic–Existential Framework for the Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678211044554