Shah, Qasir;
(2025)
More Than a Self: On Being – and Becoming – Jūnzǐ.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
This thesis reimagines the classical Confucian figure of the jūnzǐ (君子) as a vital resource for ethical education and moral cultivation in a 21st century world marked by fragmentation, inequality, and institutional decay. Against the backdrop of contemporary crises—political, ecological, and educational—it argues that prevailing models of personhood rooted in autonomy, competition, and performative success are inadequate for fostering moral seriousness. In response, the thesis turns to the Confucian tradition, offering a sustained exploration of the jūnzǐ as an ethical exemplar who embodies relational virtue, aesthetic sensibility, and the lifelong practice of becoming human well. Through a close reading of classical texts and key concepts—rén (consummate conduct), lǐ (ritual propriety), yì (appropriateness), chéng (sincerity), and xīn (heart–mind)—the thesis articulates a vision of moral formation grounded in ritual participation, emotional discernment, and responsive presence. Rather than proposing a nostalgic return to the past or a wholesale adoption of ancient forms, it calls for a creative and critical engagement with Confucian thought as a living tradition. Educators, it suggests, must resist the twin dangers of ritual formalism and cultural exoticism by framing moral cultivation not as cultural performance, but as an invitation to ethical presence. The thesis combines philosophical analysis, case studies, and cross-cultural reflection to explore how the jūnzǐ might inform new practices of leadership, education, and civic life. In doing so, it offers a relational and role-embedded alternative to dominant images of the moral agent as autonomous or strategically rational. Thus, the jūnzǐ is recovered not as a relic of elite virtue, but as a guide for cultivating moral clarity, humility, and care in turbulent times. This work contributes to the global philosophy of education by offering a Confucian-inspired framework for ethical becoming in pluralistic and demanding contexts.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | More Than a Self: On Being – and Becoming – Jūnzǐ |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10212772 |
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