Human Development through Picture Books: Nussbaum's Narrative Imagination

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20244
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Yonekawa Motoko 金沢学院大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (40637667)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 教育哲学 / 保育 / 幼児教育思想 / 絵本 / ヌスバウム / 世界市民 / ナラティブイマジネーション / 想像力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to establish a theoretical basis for human development through picture books in early childhood, based on American philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum's idea of "narrative imagination. In previous early childhood education, individual abilities such as the cultivation of imagination through picture books tended to be discussed only within the individual. This study, by examining the concept of "narrative imagination," highlights the characteristics of a broad perspective on the society and community in which the individual lives, that human development through picture books leads to the realization of social justice and the guarantee of "human dignity" in a global society. This study suggest that picture books could be a good to become a member of world citizens because they develop "narrative imagination”.

Free Research Field

教育哲学　幼児教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、高等教育を中心に論じられているヌスバウムの「物語的想像力」という思想を幼児教育での検討を試みることで、これまで個人内の能力の育成への着目が多い絵本を通した人間形成の研究に対して、人間の尊厳の保障としての側面から新たな理論的基盤を提供するという意義があった。世界市場経済による相互依存性や、相互有利性ではない、世界市民としての他者との関わりを育む基盤としての絵本の意義を提示した。