Social, cultural and ecological justice in the age of the Anthropocene: A New Zealand early childhood car and education perspective

This article outlines a compelling vision for early childhood education in Aotearoa that integrates social, cultural, and ecological justice within the context of the Anthropocene, the current era marked by profound human impact on the Earth’s systems. The author argues that educators have a deep ethical responsibility to protect and enhance the wellbeing of children, whānau, communities, and the more-than-human world in which we all live.

Ritchie draws on examples from New Zealand to show how early childhood pedagogies can be shaped by critical pedagogies of place and local traditional knowledges. These pedagogies strengthen learners’ empathy, care, and connectedness not only with other people but also with the natural environment. The article highlights the importance of grounding teaching and learning in local contexts, valuing Māori worldviews, and fostering dispositions that affirm both cultural identity and ecological sustainability.

For the Telling Your Stories Project, this work provides a strong, research-based rationale for embedding justice-oriented, place-based, and culturally responsive narrative and learning practices. It affirms that early education can and should cultivate relational awareness, ecological responsibility, and a sense of collective stewardship that aligns with values of inclusion, cultural respect, and sustainability